An article said that although practitioners recognized the multiple barriers faced by those receiving long-term sickness benefits, a wider moral dialogue over 'deserving' and 'undeserving' recipients was being created and sustained as a result of negative stereotyping.
Source: Kayleigh Garthwaite, Clare Bambra, and Jon Warren, '"The unwilling and the unwell"? Exploring stakeholders' perceptions of working with long term sickness benefits recipients', Disability & Society, Volume 28 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
The government published its proposals for improving employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions. It set out proposals to work with employers, develop individual support packages, improve support for people with mental illness, and develop the financial package. A further delivery paper would be published in 2014, to build on feedback to the strategy.
Source: The Disability and Health Employment Strategy: The discussion so far, Cm 8763, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO
Links: Strategy | DWP press release
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined participants' experiences of a national supported employment programme for disabled people. Participants in WORKSTEP were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences, both of work and the support to find work. The rare reports of negative experiences reflected the focus on intervening at the level of individual workers, rather than the workplace or organization of work. The authors said that the findings highlighted the need for more broad-based, social interventions, rather than seeking individual solutions to employment problems.
Source: Ruth Lewis, Lynn Dobbs, and Paul Biddle, '"If this wasn't here I probably wouldn't be": disabled workers' views of employment support', Disability & Society, Volume 28 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
A report evaluated the supported internship programme. The programme provided a structured study programme for 16 to 24 year olds with a learning difficulty assessment in England. It included on-the-job training, job coaching, and complementary college-based learning. The evaluation examined whether the trial had been effective in enabling people to progress into sustainable employment, the means of delivery (and any lessons from practice), and the value for money aspects of the programme.
Source: Supported Internship Trial for 16 to 24 Year Old Learners with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities: An evaluation, CooperGibson Research
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Dec
A report examined the ways in which employment outcomes could be improved for young people living with chronic health conditions. It said that the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic conditions combined with stigmatic societal attitudes to create significant barriers to successfully entering the workforce. It called for young people with chronic conditions to be supported from school onwards, for wider general education about chronic conditions, and for the creation of more accommodating, appropriate work environments. It made a series of recommendations to schools, employers, policy-makers and clinicians.
Source: Stephen Bevan, Ksenia Zheltoukhova, Kate Summers, Zofia Bajorek, Lisa O Dea, and Jenny Gulliford, Life and Employment Opportunities of Young People with Chronic Conditions, Work Foundation/Fit for Work UK
Links: Report | Work Foundation press release
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined the costs associated with living with cancer. It identified existing work- and income-related issues for those living with the diagnosis. It made recommendations, including: a right for workers with cancer to request flexible working; part-time sick leave; new sources of financial assistance; more targeted and available financial advice; more local treatment options, and access to free transport; and a new system for temporarily delegating financial affairs while unwell.
Source: Max Wind-Cowie and Jo Salter, Paying the Price, Demos
Links: Report | Summary | Demos press release
Date: 2013-Nov
A report called for the government to rethink its approach to employment support for people with disabilities, recommending more opportunities for people to gain experience through work.
Source: Neil Crowther and Liz Sayce, Taking Control of Employment Support, Disability Rights UK
Links: Report | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined the role that pre-claim experiences had on the outcomes for employment and support allowance claimants. Health and health trajectories were found to be central determinants of future employment experiences, but those coming on to ESA from a work background were found to move into work and off ESA more quickly. It was suggested that ESA was least effective at helping the most disadvantaged groups.
Source: Paul Sissons and Helen Barnes, 'Getting back to work? Claim trajectories and destinations of employment and support allowance claimants', Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, Volume 21 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Oct
A report for the equal rights watchdog examined the experiences of people with disabilities in the workplace. It said that unfair treatment or discrimination formed part of a larger pattern of disadvantage that included lower employment rates, poorer quality jobs and multiple barriers to work. The report called for more up to date quantitative data and for qualitative research to be conducted with employers and employees to illuminate better the processes and experiences.
Source: Nick Coleman, Wendy Sykes, and Carola Groom, Barriers to Employment and Unfair Treatment at Work: A quantitative analysis of disabled people s experiences, Research Report 88, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Oct
A paper examined the role of health interventions in reducing the numbers out-of-work on incapacity benefits in the UK.
Source: Christina Beatty, Kirsty Duncan, Steve Fothergill, and Sionnadh McLean, The Role of Health Interventions in Reducing Incapacity Claimant Numbers, Sheffield Hallam University
Links: Paper
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined the source of the deep and enduring employment disadvantage suffered by disabled people. Standard jobs, designed around ideal (non-disabled) employees, created a mismatch between a formal job description and someone with an impairment. This mismatch was central to organizations' resistance to implementing adjustments, and also to any radical approaches to include employees with impairments in the workplace.
Source: Deborah Foster and Victoria Wass, 'Disability in the labour market: an exploration of concepts of the ideal worker and organisational fit that disadvantage employees with impairments', Sociology, Volume 47 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Aug
An article examined the association between being out of work because of sickness or disability and high mortality, using detailed information from a cohort study in the west of Scotland. It said that the long-term survival prospects of those who were out of work and sick or disabled were considerably poorer than other employment groups.
Source: Frank Popham, Kathryn Skivington, and Michaela Benzeval, 'Why do those out of work because of sickness or disability have a high mortality risk? Evidence from a Scottish cohort', European Journal of Public Health, Volume 23 Number 4
Date: 2013-Aug
Researchers examined early outcomes of the Work Choice programme. Overall, both participants and employers were positive about the support they had received from the programme.
Source: Inclusion, Evaluation of the Work Choice Specialist Disability Employment Programme: Findings from the 2011 early implementation and 2012 steady state waves of the research, Research Report 846, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report | Summary | Technical appendices
Notes: The Work Choice programme is a specialist disability employment programme that was launched in October 2010 and replaced two previous programmes, WORKSTEP and Work Preparation. It provides employment support to disabled people who cannot be supported through mainstream employment programmes and their employers.
Date: 2013-Jul
The coalition government announced that it would bring in additional providers alongside Atos Healthcare to administer work capability assessments, following criticisms of the poor quality of the company's reports.
Source: Press release 22 July 2013, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: DWP press release
Date: 2013-Jul
A report highlighted problems with the existing system of disability employment support. It made a series of recommendations, including:
Accurately assessing people's needs – rather than just a narrow definition of 'capability', as used in the work capability assessment.
Bringing together different sources of support such as health, education, social care, and benefits advice to ensure that these services complemented one another.
Focusing on finding work for people that matched their skills, experience, and aspirations.
Actively engaging with employers to build their confidence in employing disabled people and improve the support that they offered.
Emphasizing voluntary participation in employment support rather than relying on the threat of sanctions.
Source: Robert Trotter, Work in Progress: Rethinking employment support for disabled people, Action on Hearing Loss/Mencap/Mind/RNIB/Scope
Links: Report | Mind press release | Work Foundation blog post
Date: 2013-Jul
An article presented empirical findings from a study on welfare reform conducted between 2007 and 2009, focusing on incapacity benefit claims. It considered two areas of advisers' experience: first, how they were subjected to the need to comply with directives, and how their performance was monitored via targets; and second, their attitudes and behaviours towards sanctions against those who did not attend compulsory work-focused interviews.
Source: Aimee Grant, 'Welfare reform, increased conditionality and discretion: Jobcentre Plus advisers' experiences of targets and sanctions', Journal of Poverty and Social Justice, Volume 21 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
A report presented findings from a survey of disabled claimants of working-age benefits, designed to investigate disabled claimants' existing circumstances, health conditions, and attitudes towards work. Most claimants said that they wanted to work (56 per cent), and that having a job would make them better off financially (65 per cent). The most commonly reported barriers to work were a lack of job opportunities (mentioned by 36 per cent of claimants), difficulty with transport (31 per cent), and attitudes of employers (30 per cent).
Source: Liz Cole, A Survey of Disabled Working Age Benefit Claimants, In-House Research 16, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jul
Two linked reports examined the operation of the statement of fitness for work (or 'fit note'). Family doctors' use of the fit note varied significantly within and between practices. By far the largest proportion of all fit notes (35 per cent) was issued to patients for mild-to-moderate mental health disorders. 71 per cent of employees agreed that the fit note was helpful.
Source: Chris Shiels, Jim Hillage, Emma Pollard, and Mark Gabbay, An Evaluation of the Statement of Fitness for Work (Fit Note): Quantitative Survey of Fit Notes, Research Report 841, Department for Work and Pensions | Victoria Chenery, An Evaluation of the Statement of Fitness for Work (Fit Note): A Survey of Employees, Research Report 840, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report (1) | Summary | Report (2) | Summary
Notes: Fit notes were introduced on 6 April 2010 across England, Wales, and Scotland. They are issued by doctors as evidence of their advice about an individual s fitness for work. They are the normal method for employees to provide evidence of sickness to employers after the seventh day of absence.
Date: 2013-Jun
An article highlighted problems with an approach to disabled young people that emphasized individuals' human capital, aspirations, and self-investments as causes of (and solutions to) their unemployment. The approach entailed a simplistic and individualized notion of 'barriers' to employment that could not account for the complex impacts of disablement and inequality. Moves towards open-market models of training and work support created perverse incentives that diverted support away from those most in need. The focus on paid employment undermined other social contributions made by disabled young people.
Source: Scott Yates and Alan Roulstone, 'Social policy and transitions to training and work for disabled young people in the United Kingdom: neo-liberalism for better and for worse?', Disability & Society, Volume 28 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-May
An article said that, in view of failed attempts to increase the number of disabled people in paid employment, a new approach was needed. Rather than reiterating the 'tired mantra' of a right to work for disabled people, the case should be advanced for a right not to work. Such a right was, in fact, closely related to demands that disabled people should have a right to work, and was required if the exploitative and disabling aspects of paid work were to be avoided.
Source: Chris Grover and Linda Piggott, 'A right not to work and disabled people', Social and Public Policy Review, Volume 7 Issue 1
Links: Article
Date: 2013-Apr
Researchers examined family doctors' attitudes towards patients' health and work. In general family doctors were increasingly positive about the impact that the 'fit note' had on their consultations and patients' outcomes.
Source: Mark Hann and Professor Bonnie Sibbald, General Practitioners' Attitudes Towards Patients' Health and Work, 2010-12, Research Report 835, Department for Work and Pensions
Date: 2013-Apr
A new book examined key issues surrounding disability benefits, welfare reform, and employment policy – including the appropriateness of active labour market policies that sought to promote transitions from incapacity benefits into work. It drew on evidence from the United Kingdom and a number of other European countries.
Source: Colin Lindsay and Donald Houston (eds), Disability Benefits, Welfare Reform and Employment Policy, Palgrave Macmillan
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Apr
An article said that employees with disabilities and long-term illnesses were more likely to suffer ill-treatment in the workplace, and experienced a broader range of ill-treatment. Different types of disability were associated with different types of ill-treatment. Four possible explanations for ill-treatment were considered: negative affect raised perceptions of ill-treatment; ill-treatment led to health effects; ill-treatment resulted from stigma or discrimination; ill-treatment was a consequence of workplace social relations. Although some of these explanations were stronger than others, more research was required in order to decide between them.
Source: Ralph Fevre, Amanda Robinson, Duncan Lewis, and Trevor Jones, 'The ill-treatment of employees with disabilities in British workplaces', Work, Employment and Society, Volume 27 Number 2
Links: Abstract | Plymouth University press release
Date: 2013-Apr
An article examined the impacts of the condition management programme (CMP) established under the previous government's pathways to work initiative (2003-2011), designed to assist people on incapacity benefits to cope with health problems. IB claimants faced complex health limitations, and a renewal of CMP provision (abolished by the coalition government) would be necessary if they were to be assisted towards improved health and employability.
Source: Colin Lindsay and Matthew Dutton, 'Promoting healthy routes back to work? Boundary spanning health professionals and employability programmes in Great Britain', Policy & Politics, Volume 46 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Apr
A study examined whether the 'Provider Led Pathways' initiative (part of the Pathways to Work programme 2003-2011) had helped more incapacity benefits customers move into work or leave benefit than would have done so otherwise. The impact had been to lower the proportion of benefit claimants by two percentage points: but there was no satisfactory statistical evidence of any impact on employment.
Source: Genevieve Knight, Sergio Salis, Francesca Francavilla, Dragos Radu, Debra Hevenstone, Elisabetta Mocca, and Brittainy Tousley, Provider-led Pathways to Work: Net Impacts on Employment and Benefits, Working Paper 113, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Working paper | PSI blog post
Date: 2013-Feb
A report by a committee of MPs said that far too many decisions under the work capability assessment process were wrong, at considerable cost to both the taxpayer and the claimant. It accused the Department of Work and Pensions of being 'unduly complacent' over the problem.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions: Contract Management of Medical Services, Twenty-third Report (Session 2012–13), HC 744, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Citizens Advice press release | Labour Party press release | Mencap press release | Mind press release | Scope press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Feb
The coalition government announced (in response to an independent review) a series of measures designed to help employers support their staff and prevent employees needlessly going on to sickness benefits. An independent occupational health assessment and advice service, expected to be operational by 2014, would enable employers of all sizes to access expert advice to help them manage sickness absence in the workplace.
Source: Fitness for Work: The government response to Health at Work – An independent review of sickness absence , Cm 8476, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO
Links: Response | Hansard | DWP press release | BCC press release | CIPD press release | Mind press release | Work Foundation press release
Notes: Review report (November 2011)
Date: 2013-Jan
A report for the equal rights watchdog examined the recruitment practices of employers in relation to health questionnaires before a job offer was made to an applicant. Private sector employers were more likely to ask health-related questions of disabled applicants.
Source: Lorna Adams, Katie Oldfield, Laura Godwin, and Jolyon Fairburn-Beech, Use of Pre-Employment Health Questionnaires by Employers, Research Report 87, Equality and Human Rights Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jan