Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot statistics: August 2022 to July 2024

The Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot came into operation from 1 July 2022 (see background and context). This data is an update to the release published on 19 September 2023 that reflected the end of the formal enrolment year for the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot, and reflects the status of eligible recipients as recorded on 31 July 2024, as well as those who withdrew from the pilot post-enrolment. 

This management information has not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics and the data may be revised in future.

• There have been 644 recipients of basic income in this pilot. There are 638 active recipients of basic income as of 31 July 2024.
• Six young people have chosen to withdraw or have been withdrawn from the pilot. Their demographic information is retained in this aggregated dataset as they have been recipients of at least one basic income payment. 
• Eleven eligible young people confirmed their decision not to participate in the pilot and completed the non-participation forms. We are aware of others who confirmed non-participation verbally with local authorities but without submitting non-participation forms (an additional nine non-participants). No further data is recorded for non-participants. 
• Taking the above information into account, the provisional uptake rate for the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot is 97%. 
• As of 31 July 2024, 365 active recipients (57%) receive their payment monthly, with the remaining 273 (43%) opting for twice-monthly payments. 
• As of 31 July 2024, 135 active recipients (21%) opt for direct landlord payments to be made.

340 recipients (53%) declared their national identity as Welsh. Other national identities are as outlined in the table below.

[Note 1] The grouping of national identity used above is adapted from the Census 2021 classification (UK Data Service) of national identity.

508 recipients (79%) declared their ethnicity as White, 24 recipients (4%) were from a mixed ethnic group, 26 recipients (4%) said they were from an Asian ethnic group, 17 recipients (3%) said they were from a Black ethnic group, 48 recipients (7%) said they were from another Minority Ethnic group, and 21 recipients (3%) did not respond.

Just over half of recipients (331; 51%) are male, with 281 (44%) female and 32 (5%) did not respond.

582 (90%) of recipients reported identifying with the same gender as their sex registered at birth, 18 (3%) stated that they did not identify with the same gender as their sex registered at birth, and 44 (7%) did not respond or said they preferred not to say.

449 (70%) of recipients declared themselves as ‘heterosexual or straight’, 26 (4%) as bisexual, 16 (2%) as gay or lesbian, with the remaining 153 (24%) either not disclosing, not knowing or stating other sexual orientations.

415 (64%) of recipients stated that they have no religious belief. Of the remaining 229 (36%), 52 (8%) were Christian (all denominations), 55 (9%) Muslim, 122 (19%) belonged to other religions, provided no response, preferred not to say or stated that they did not know.

At enrolment, all recipients were provided with both the social model of disability definition and the definition as outlined in the Equality Act 2010. Following this, 89 recipients (14%) declared themselves as disabled people in line with either definition, 526 (82%) did not consider themselves disabled and 29 (5%) did not respond.

• 146 (23%) recipients stated that they have a long-term condition that is expected to last for 12 months or more, 443 (69%) stated that they do not, and 55 (9%) either didn’t know or didn’t respond.
• 541 (84%) of recipients declared their health as either ‘very good’ or ‘good’, 71 (11%) declared their health as ‘fair’, 8 (1%) declared their health as ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’, and 24 (4%) either did not know or did not respond.

Based on enrolment data, 146 recipients (23%) were living in supported housing at the point of enrolment, and at least 93 (14%) individuals were living in a “When I am Ready” placement (note: information on this type of placement was not reported before January 2023, so it is likely that there were more individuals living in this type of placement at enrolment).

As of 31 July 2024, 13 (2%) active recipients were homeless or of no fixed abode.

The Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot permits those residing outside of Wales to participate as long as they remain in the care of a Welsh local authority. Therefore, some individuals reside outside of Wales. In relation to country of residence, as of 31 July 2024, 574 (90%) active recipients reside in Wales, with a further 61 (10%) residing in England. A further three individuals reside elsewhere.

Declarations of other certain circumstances were requested on enrolment to ensure that the delivery of the pilot was tailored to certain specific needs and to maximise opportunities to participate.

As of 31 July 2024, 14 (2%) active recipients have an appointee / deputy acting on their behalf.

As of 31 July 2024, throughout the duration of the pilot, 25 individuals have had their participation in the pilot suspended for at least one calendar month or have been unable to participate due to interactions with the criminal justice system.

Former Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) who meet the standard eligibility criteria for the pilot (being a ‘Category 3’ care leaver who is looked after by a Welsh local authority) have been able to participate in the pilot. As of 31 July 2024, 74 (11%) of all recipients were UASC or former UASC at the point of enrolment. 

A total of 70 late applications were received and accepted during the pilot.

The Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot provides a cohort of care leavers turning 18 years of age between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 with the opportunity to receive £1,600 pre-tax per month for a period of 24 months to enable them to fulfil their aims and ambitions and build a platform for their transition from care into adult life. For further reading, a collection of webpages about the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot are available.

Data source

Figures are taken from the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot operational management information which has not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics. Eligible young people were invited to complete an enrolment form if they intended to join the pilot, with those who chose to decline the opportunity asked to complete a non-participation form. Local authorities submitted the information to the Welsh Government on a monthly basis during the enrolment year to ensure young people are enrolled on the programme for payment. The data presented here is aggregated for all of Wales and based on the operational management information as at 31 July 2024.

Note on interpretation

All percentage figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

An ‘active recipient’ is a recipient who was actively part of the pilot as of 31 July 2024. This includes those whose participation is currently suspended. Data related to ‘all recipients’ includes all active recipients as well as those who have withdrawn during the pilot. In future reporting years, ‘all recipients’ will include those who have exited the pilot following completion of their 24 months participation.

The provisional uptake rate is based on the total number of recipients as a proportion of the total number of recipients plus the known eligible non-participants as of 31/07/2024. Known eligible non-participants are a combination of those who have completed non-participation forms, and others who confirmed non-participation verbally with local authorities but without submitting non-participation forms.

The dataset reflects the recorded information for all recipients as recorded on 31 July 2024. Most information was gathered at enrolment (for instance, demographic information, health status) whilst other data has been updated during the pilot (for instance, changes in residence, payment frequencies and opting for direct landlord payments). Thus, this data represents a snapshot in time and remains subject to update should individual circumstances change.

Recipients of the Basic Income for Care Leavers in Wales pilot were eligible to enrol for the pilot at any stage prior to and including the month of their 18^th birthday and receive the basic income the month following their 18^th birthday, therefore the first enrolment month was July 2022 and the first payment month was August 2022. Those turning 18 years of age in August 2022 were eligible for first payment from September 2022, and so on.

For the purposes of data monitoring, the first payment month is recorded as the month a young person joins the pilot; this allows us to account for any late applicants.

Any late applicants (defined as those joining later than the month after they turn 18 years of age) have been permitted to join the pilot on a case-by-case basis to ensure that participation is maximised and that they are treated fairly when reasons for not being able to enrol as scheduled are due to matters out of their control.

‘When I am Ready’ enables young people in foster care to continue living with their foster carers once they turn 18. It allows them to remain in a stable and nurturing family environment up to the age of 21, or up to age 25 if they are completing an agreed programme of education or training.

Statistician: Nia Jones (queries about the data)
Email: stats.inclusion@gov.wales

Media: 0300 025 8099