Statistical presentation

Data description

The statistics provide data on trends in the average number of participants (in the age group 16-64) with public benefits, analyzed by labour market policy measure. Activation under the act on active labour market policy (persons entitled to claim unemployment benefits), section 16 of the act on active social policy (recipients of cash benefits), sections 21-23 of the job integration act (recipients of introductory allowance), the act on leave (both persons entitled to claim unemployment benefits and recipients of cash benefits), the act on adult education subsidies and the act on labour market education, are regarded as labour market policy measures. The activities take place within the following main groups: Unemployed, persons in supported employment, leave, education/training, other activation, integration allowance, sickness benefit and different kinds of early retirement pay. The figure on average number of participants (full-time participants), which is extracted from the AMFORA statistics, is a volume measurement. The figures (except the figures concerning flex- and sheltered jobs) is comparable with the average number of full-time unemployed in the unemployment statistics.

The purpose of the statistics is to show trends in average/full-time participation in labour market policy measures. Based on a report prepared by the activation statistics committee (report no. 1259) the first statistics were compiled as from the first quarter of 1994. The reason for setting up the committee was that the Danish statistics at that time were unable to provide reliable data on the wide variety of municipal activation schemes. The committee's work was performed over the period December 1992 to October 1993. Since 1994 new measures have been introduced and others have ceased. As from the third quarter of 1999 the number of persons working in flex- and sheltered jobs are published concurrently with the labour market policy measures. Persons participating in activation according to the job integration act were included from the first quarter of 2000. As from the third quarter of 2003, and with effect in the publications as from the first quarter of 2004, a number of changes to the codes/names were undertaken due to a political reform that meant the introduction of new activation schemes, whereas other schemes ceased to exist. From 2007 the statistics is extended with persons on early retirement pay, sickness benefit, maternity leave and from 2008 it is extended furthermore with young people in ordinary education (SU-modtagere).

Classification system

The register based unemployment statistics is published by Regions, provinces and municipalities.

Sector coverage

The statistics covers all sectors.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Full-time participants: Full-time participants (the full-time volume) is calculated as the following proportion: Sum of all the hours all the participants have received public benefits during the reference period divided by the possible working hours (37 in each week) for the same reference period.

Each combination of 'personal number' and 'type of benefit' ('foranstaltningsforløb'): Each unique combination ('foranstaltningsforløb') is defined by 'Personal identification number', 'Start- and end-date for receiving each type of benefit', 'Hours per week receiving each type of benefit'.

Statistical unit

The statistics is mainly published by the unit of measurement called 'full-time participants', see the description under 'Concepts and definitions'.

Statistical population

The population consists of all persons between 16 years old and their state pension age receiving public benefits in the reference period.

Reference area

The statistics covers all persons in the age group 16-64 years old, who have received public benefits.

Time coverage

The statistics on persons receiving public benefits covers the period from the 1. of January 2007 and onwards. However, participants in ordinary education (SU-modtagere) are only included in the statistics from 1. of January 2008 and onwards.

Base period

Not relevant for these statistics.

Unit of measure

The statistics main unit of measurement is 'full-time participants'. Full-time participants is calculated as the following proportion: Sum of all the hours all the participants have received public benefits during the reference period divided by the possible working hours (37 in each week) in the same reference period.

Reference period

The statistics are compiled quarterly and annually and the average (full-time) number of participants are calculated from the participation degrees of each individual person. The degrees are calculated from the number of days in the period under survey, the normal number of hours (=37) per week, number of days in which a person has participated in the measure and the number of hours per week in the measure. The data available at the end of the period under survey is used in allocating unemployment insurance fund, insurance category, number of insured hours, municipality of residence and citizenship. If data is not available at that time, any available data from the beginning of the subsequent period will then be used.

Frequency of dissemination

The statistics are published quarterly and annually.

Legal acts and other agreements

The Act on Statistics Denmark, section 6, as amended (by Act no 15 of January, 12, 1972, by Act no 386 of June, 13, 1990 and most recently by Act no 1025 of December 19, 2000). From the second quarter of 2004 the Danish Ministry of Employment has the legal responsibility for compiling data on labour market policy measures (Sections 48 and 50-53 of the Act on responsibility and management of active employment efforts).

No EU regulation.

Cost and burden

No response burden (caused by Statistics Denmark), because the statistics is based on administrative registers.

Comment

You find more documentation/information on Public benefit.