A report reviewed evidence on the employment of disabled people in the public sector. It said that disabled people were less likely than non-disabled people to work in the public sector: between 1998 and 2003, around 11 per cent of working age disabled people had public sector jobs, compared with 18 per cent of non-disabled people.
Source: Michael Hirst, Patricia Thornton, Melissa Dearey and Sue Maynard Campbell, The Employment of Disabled People in the Public Sector: A review of data and literature, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Report (Word file) | Summary (Word file)
Date: 2004-Dec
A think-tank report said that incapacity benefit had become a barrier to work, and needed to be reformed if the government were to achieve its full employment and social justice goals. It recommended that incapacity benefit be replaced by: a flat-rate earnings replacement allowance ; mandatory action agreements negotiated between personal advisers and claimants; and an enhanced disability living allowance.
Source: Kate Stanley with Dominic Maxwell, Fit for Purpose: The reform of incapacity benefit, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Summary (pdf) | IPPR press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A research report described the characteristics and experiences of people who had used new permitted work rules. There was clear evidence that, for 24 per cent of clients, the rules had acted as a stepping stone to employment, and as a shift away from benefits. But awareness and understanding of the new rules was generally low among the client group. (The permitted work rules were introduced in April 2002, allowing incapacity benefit recipients to earn up to 78 a week for a period of up to 52 weeks while continuing to receive benefit.)
Source: Sara Dewson, Sara Davis and George Loukas, A Stepping-Stone to Employment?: An evaluation of the permitted work rules Wave 2, W214, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8299)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release (1) | DWP press release (2)
Date: 2004-Dec
The government announced (in the Pre-Budget Report 2004) a major extension of incapacity benefit reform pilots ('Pathways to Work'). The scheme would be extended to a third of the country, covering the most disadvantaged areas and local authority areas with the greatest concentration of incapacity benefit claimants, starting from October 2005. Including existing pilots, the total area covered would have 900,000 incapacity benefit claimants. The seven existing pilots would continue beyond 2006. From October 2005 all new incapacity benefit claimants nationally would be required to attend a work-focused interview after eight weeks of their claim. It was also made mandatory for them to complete an action plan to keep them in touch with work opportunities. The disability rights watchdog supported the extension of the pilots, saying that more disabled people would be able to work if they were given the support to do so. A government minister reportedly said that nearly two-thirds of the 2.7 million people who claimed incapacity benefit were capable of work.
Source: Pre-Budget Report 2004: Opportunity for All - The strength to take the long-term decisions for Britain, Cm 6408, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 2 December 2004, columns 781-804, TSO | Press release 2 December 2004, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633) | The Guardian, 15 December 2004
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (pdf links) | Hansard | HMT press release | DWP press release | DRC press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2)
Date: 2004-Dec
A research report provided findings on how employers in the Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilot areas managed sickness absence. Almost all employers interviewed allowed employees to return to work on reduced hours to ease their return, gradually building up the number of hours worked over time.
Source: Katharine Nice and Patricia Thornton, Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilot: Employers management of long-term sickness absence, Research Report 227, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A cross-departmental taskforce made recommendations aimed at reducing public sector sickness absence.
Source: Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector, Health and Safety Executive, HSE Books (01787 881165), Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 8 December 2004, columns 100WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Hansard | DWP press release | TUC press release
Date: 2004-Dec
Researchers surveyed the characteristics of participants in the New Deal for Disabled People.
Source: Laura Adelman et al., New Deal for Disabled People: Survey of Registrants Report of cohort 1 waves 1 and 2, W213, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8299)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Dec
The government said that seven pilots to help people on incapacity benefits into work had achieved early success. The number of people getting jobs through Jobcentre Plus had doubled compared to the previous year. There had been an 8-10 per cent increase in the rate of people coming off incapacity benefits after four months of their claim, compared to non-pilot areas. Five times as many people in pilot areas were joining New Deal for Disabled People compared to old-style Jobcentres.
Source: Press release 30 November 2004, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release
Date: 2004-Nov
A paper used official administrative data to analyse the chances of claimants leaving incapacity-related benefits, focusing on variations in the rate of outflow as the duration of the spell increased. Exit rates fell steadily and steeply from month 1 to month 12; steadily again, but less steeply, from quarter 5 to quarter 12; and less steeply again from year 4 to year 10. The rate was very low by year 10, but probably did not decline after that. The probability of leaving in the first month was, at annualized rate, more than 25 times as high as the probability of leaving in any particular year after ten years.
Source: Richard Berthoud, The Profile of Exits from Incapacity-related Benefits over Time, Working Paper 17, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Working paper (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
Qualitative research examined the role of incapacity benefit personal advisers within the incapacity benefit reform pilots ( Pathways to Work ).
Source: Sarah Dickens, Alice Mowlam and Kandy Woodfield, Incapacity Benefit Reforms - The Personal Adviser Role and Practices, W212, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2004-Nov
A study summarized the evidence on the costs and benefits of return-to-work and rehabilitation schemes, drawing both on overseas research and on a sample of new United Kingdom case studies. It concluded that such schemes might significantly reduce or contain the liability costs of employers. But this would only be achieved if an effective combination of employer-led return-to-work practices were implemented along with more clinically oriented healthcare and vocational rehabilitation.
Source: Michael Wright, David Turner, Ali Antonelli, Mark Bendig and Sara Marsden, Cost and Benefits of Return to Work and Vocational Rehabilitation in the UK, Association of British Insurers (020 7600 3333)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A briefing paper identified seven major disincentives to work which needed to be tackled by policy makers before returning to employment could become a clear, easy process for mental health service users.
Source: Benefits and Work for People with Mental Health Problems: A briefing for mental health workers, Briefing 27, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8352)
Links: Briefing (pdf) | SCMH press release
Date: 2004-Oct
The government said that early results from incapacity benefits pilots ('Pathways to Work') showed an increased rate of movement off benefit into work, training, or rehabilitation schemes.
Source: Press release 11 October 2004, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
The government launched a new framework to help people who became ill to stay in their jobs and prevent them leaving the workforce prematurely.
Source: Building Capacity for Work: A UK framework for vocational rehabilitation, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176)
Links: Framework (pdf) | DWP press release | TUC press release
Date: 2004-Oct
A report presented the findings of research designed to establish awareness of, and attitudes towards, vocational rehabilitation. It also considered vocational rehabilitation approaches among key stakeholders in the private and voluntary sectors. There was widespread recognition that the term vocational rehabilitation was not readily understood by most people.
Source: Andrew Irving, Dorothy Chang and Ian Sparham, Developing a Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation: Qualitative Research, Research Report 224, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf links) | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2004-Oct
Charities contracted to deliver the New Deal for Disabled People reportedly accused the government of putting a cap on the scheme, because they had been too successful and were in danger of spending the funds allocated to them 15 months early.
Source: The Guardian, 27 October 2004
Links: Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A trade union report warned the government not to believe the 'myth' that there were easy savings to be made by cracking down on invalidity benefit claimants. The vast majority of the 1.5 million who received invalidity benefit were either too ill to work without suffering real pain and fatigue, or wanted to work but could not find a job - often due to employer prejudice.
Source: Defending Incapacity Benefit, Trades Union Congress (020 7467 1294)
Links: Report (pdf) | TUC press release
Date: 2004-Oct
A report explored levels of awareness of the Disability Discrimination Act on the part of qualifications bodies, and their perceptions of how the provisions would affect their existing practices.
Source: Jennifer Hurstfield, Jane Aston, Hannah Mitchell and Helen Ritchie, Qualifications Bodies and the Disability Discrimination Act, Report 417, Institute for Employment Studies, available from BBCS (01482 224626)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-Sep
A report provided a descriptive analysis of job brokers delivering the New Deal for Disabled People. Nearly half (49 per cent) of the brokers were from the voluntary sector, a quarter (24 per cent) from the public sector, and a fifth (21 per cent) from the private sector. Typically, they delivered NDDP services to 2-5 local authority areas. Over a half (53 per cent) were registered charities.
Source: Siobhan McDonald, Abigail Davis and Bruce Stafford, New Deal for Disabled People: Report of the Survey of Job Brokers, W197, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
Researchers tested alternative non-experimental evaluation methods that might be used to evaluate the impact of the New Deal for Disabled People against an experimental benchmark. They said that the challenge of interpreting that evidence for NDDP remained 'formidable'.
Source: Larry Orr, Stephen Bell and Robert Kornfeld, Tests of Nonexperimental Methods for Evaluating the Impact of the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP), W198, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
A report synthesized the findings from early research with participants, employers and those charged with delivering, the New Deal for Disabled People programme. Over half of the eligible population had heard of NDDP and/or a job broker operating in their local area. Participants tended to have positive views about the service they had received from brokers; advisers were seen to be well informed about work related issues. Of those people registering with NDDP up to November 2003, 32 per cent had gained paid work; and of these participants 39 per cent had achieved sustained employment.
Source: Bruce Stafford, New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP): First Synthesis Report, W199, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274)
Links: Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
The law Lords ruled that there was a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people if they became unable to carry out the job they were in due to their disability. This duty included considering whether it was reasonable to transfer the disabled person to another vacant post, even if that post was at a higher grade.
Source: Archibald (Appellant) v. Fife Council (Respondents) (Scotland), UKHL 32 (Session 2003-04), House of Lords Judicial Office (020 7219 3111)
Links: Text of judgement | DRC press release
Date: 2004-Jul
A study sought to establish the scope for people with mental health problems to become involved in enterprise; the availability and quality of current enterprise support at local level; and the provision of intermediate workplaces.
Source: Tackling Mental Health Issues through Enterprise, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500)
Links: Report (pdf) | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Jul
A report said that 92 per cent of employers were found to believe that it would be 'difficult or impossible' to employ someone with a sight problem - thereby risking unlawful discrimination against blind and partially sighted jobseekers.
Source: Mark Baker and Philippa Simkiss, Beyond the Stereotypes: Blind and partially sighted people and work, Royal National Institute of the Blind (020 7388 1266) and Action for Blind People
Links: Report (Word file)
Date: 2004-Jun
An annual survey found that workplace absence increased in 2003, for the first time in five years. Over three-quarters of companies surveyed suspected employees of taking 'unwarranted' long weekends by calling in sick on Fridays or Mondays. The supermarket firm Tesco said that it was piloting the non-payment of sick pay for the first three days of sickness absence by its employees.
Source: Room for Improvement: CBI absence and labour turnover 2004, Confederation of British Industry (020 7395 8247) and AXA
Links: Summary | CBI press release | Mercer press release | BBC report | Work Foundation press release
Date: 2004-May
The government began consultation on the scope of vocational rehabilitation programmes, designed to help people overcome health or disability-related barriers they might face in returning to work.
Source: Developing a Framework for Vocational Rehabilitation: Discussion paper, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7962 8176)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2004-May
A survey found that out of the 22 million requests for sickness certificates they received every year, family doctors estimated that up to 9 million were 'dubious'.
Source: Health of the Nation Index, Norwich Union Healthcare (0800 142142)
Links: CIPD press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Apr
The government announced the beginning of pilot projects, from 6 April 2004, designed to induce people on incapacity benefits into employment through a return-to-work credit of 40 a week lasting for a year.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 1 April 2004, columns 105-106WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Apr
A report explored how day centres were addressing employment for people with learning disabilities, and their relationships with organisations providing employment services. It said that a 'key factor' limiting the hours worked by this client group was the inability to work more without losing entitlement to income support.
Source: Stephen Beyer et al., Working Lives: The role of day centres in supporting people with learning disabilities into employment, Research Report 203, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf links) | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Feb
A report explored businesses awareness of, and responses to, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and changes to the legislation planned for October 2004. Most workplaces that had employed a disabled person (83 per cent), and most businesses which provide a service to the public (74 per cent), had made or planned to make adjustments to assist disabled people. But evidence of a lack of understanding of the diverse nature of disability was found, shown by the fact that adjustments for customers tended to be changes to physical accessibility, rather than to communication, staff training, or the way services were provided.
Source: Simon Roberts et al., Disability and Business: Employers and service providers responses to the DDA in 2003 and preparation for 2004 changes, Research Report 202, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf links) | Summary (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2004-Jan