6 April 2006

FAMILY RESOURCES SURVEY NORTHERN IRELAND 2004-05 PUBLISHED

A report entitled "Family Resources Survey Northern Ireland 2004-05" containing statistics for the period April 2004 to March 2005 was published today by the Statistics and Research Branch of the Department for Social Development.

Its key findings include:

• The average number of persons per household is 2.6 in NI compared to 2.3 in the UK.
• NI has a lower percentage of single-person households (26%) compared to the UK (29%).
• 60% of household income in NI is sourced from Wages and Salaries, compared to 65% in the UK as a whole.
• NI households however source a higher percentage of their income from self-employment (12%) compared to the UK average (9%).
• Benefit receipt is higher in NI (62% of benefit units) than the UK average (59%) but lower than the North East (64%).
• 51% of benefit units in one-parent families are receiving Income Support.
• 54% of benefit units with children are in receipt of Tax Credits.
• The UK average for taking out private medical insurance is 16% compared to the NI average of 10%.
• 64% of households where there is a single adult with children are renting their home.
• 8% of households in NI have no savings account or bank account, compared to a UK average of 4%.
• Only 83% of single parent households have some sort of savings account.
• 36% of those receiving care stated 'Retirement Pension (state and other)' as their main source of income; 24% from employment; 17% disability benefits; 22% other benefits; and 1% other.
• 39% of informal carers provide '10 or more' hours of care per week.
• 10% of adults are permanently sick or disabled compared to 6% in the UK.
• Households in Derry and Omagh & Strabane receive the highest percentage of income from non-disability social security benefits (13%), compared to a NI average of 7%.
• Belfast Council has the highest proportion of lone parent benefit units (10%), followed by Craigavon and Derry (9%). The NI average is 7%.
• 50% of those behind in one or more household bill lived in the Social Rented Sector, compared to 24% in the Private Rented Sector.
• Those living in the West of the Province consistently accounted for the majority of cases in each category of deprivation (between 43% and 56%).

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. This survey collects detailed data on income levels, resources and financial circumstances of individuals and households. The FRS has been carried out in Great Britain since 1992 and was first introduced for Northern Ireland in 2002/03. Other government social surveys, such as the Family Expenditure Survey (FES), also collect this data, but the FRS provides more detailed information and brings some topics together on one survey for the first time.

2. Although the FRS is specifically of interest to DSD, other government departments and outside researchers will benefit from the availability of such a data source. The database can be accessed through the Data Archive of the University of Essex.

3. Previous reports for Great Britain (1992 to date) are available on the DWP website at: www.dwp.gov.uk/iad/frs and for Northern Ireland at www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research.htm

4. Further enquires should be addressed to:

Statistics & Research Branch
Level 4
James House
Gasworks Business Park
Belfast

5. Tel - 028 90819937; Fax - 028 90819961; E-Mail - srb@dsdni.gov.uk

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