The children dataset is based on children in families where an adult of working age claims a key benefit and either: receives an additional allowance of benefit for children or young adult dependants (i.e. those aged 16-18 and still in full-time education); or receives contribution-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or JSA National Insurance credits only, with children or young adult dependants recorded in the assessment; or receives Child Tax Credit (CTC).

DWP have developed the pension-age client group analysis from its existing 5% samples of administrative data on the population over state pension age who were claiming at least one of the key benefits (Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Pension Credit, State Pension, and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)

DWP have developed the working-age client group analysis from its existing 5% samples of administrative data on the population of working age who were claiming at least one of the key benefits (Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, and Income Support). If you want information about total claimants of one specific benefit, you should obtain it from the appropriate individual benefit dataset and not from this client group dataset.

The families dataset enables users to simply identify benefit units which include children. The dataset consists of adults of working age who receive additional allowances for dependent children and is a subset of claimants who appear on the working age client group dataset.

Both Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance provide financial help for the care and mobility needs of disabled people. Attendance Allowance (AA) can be awarded to a disabled person with care needs who claims on or after their 65th birthday, whereas Disability Living Allowance (DLA) can be awarded to a disabled person who claims before their 65th birthday.

Both Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance provide financial help for the care and mobility needs of disabled people. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) can be awarded to a disabled person who claims before their 65th birthday, whereas Attendance Allowance (AA) can be awarded to a disabled person with care needs who claims on or after their 65th birthday.

Incapacity Benefit (IB) is paid to people who are incapable of work and who meet certain contribution conditions. Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) was paid to those unable to work for 28 weeks in a row or more because of illness or disability. Since April 2001 it has not been possible to make a new SDA claim.

Income support is a non-contributory benefit paid to people who have low incomes and who are not required to be available for employment. The main types of people receiving IS are pensioners, lone parents, the long and short-term sick, people with disabilities and other special groups.

Jobseeker's Allowance is a benefit payable to unemployed people. In general, to be entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance, a person must be available for work for at least 40 hours a week, be actively seeking work, and have entered into a Jobseeker's Agreement with Jobcentre Plus.

Pension Credit is an income-related benefit which helps provide a minimum guaranteed income for those aged 60 and over living in Great Britain.

For the majority of recipients, state pension is a contributory benefit which is not income-related but is taxable. A small proportion of recipients receive non-contributory state pension.