An article examined how statutory sick pay had evolved over time, and examined the key sources of data that could inform policy development on sick pay arrangements. It exposed the lack of available information concerning SSP, and provided details of a feasibility study that the government had commissioned (but shelved) for a new survey to identify a baseline of SSP payments and costs. Developing a dedicated survey would be vital if the government revisited options to reform SSP in the future.
Source: Jane Barrett, 'Simplifying statutory sick pay: the evidence could be better', Benefits, Volume 14 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Oct
An article examined the processes associated with exiting different sectors of the labour market and making a claim for incapacity benefits. People could have complex conditions that potentially required a holistic and integrated policy approach. Those in the lower sector of the labour market, especially, sometimes perceived that their employment prospects were limited: sometimes by their health, sometimes by the area they lived in, sometimes by the qualifications needed to do what they termed 'good jobs', and sometimes by all of those factors.
Source: Jacqueline Davidson, 'From work to incapacity benefits: ill health, skills, stress and insecurity', Benefits, Volume 14 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Oct
The government announced the national roll-out of the 'pathways to work' programme. It said that pilots had already helped to get 25,000 people back into work. The programme would be available to all new incapacity benefits claimants by April 2008.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 4 July 2006, columns 33-35WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | DWP press release | PCS press release
Date: 2006-Jul
A report said that people in Scotland on sickness or incapacity benefits were up to five times more likely to be in financial difficulty than the rest of the population.
Source: Clare Lardner, Paying the Price: The real costs of illness and disability for CAB clients, Citizens Advice Scotland (0131 550 1000)
Links: Report | CAS press release
Date: 2006-Jul
A report said that the government target of a one million reduction in the number of people on incapacity benefits within 10 years might be far too ambitious. Based on previous performance, rolling out the 'pathways to work' initiative across the whole country might reduce the number of IB claimants by no more than half a million.
Source: Steve Fothergill and Ian Wilson, A Million Off Incapacity Benefit: How achievable is the government s target?, Centre for Regional, Economic and Social Research/Sheffield Hallam University (0114 225 3073)
Links: Report | Scope press release
Date: 2006-Jul
The government published a summary of responses to consultation on its welfare reform Green Paper (focusing on reform of incapacity benefits).
Source: A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering people to work - Consultation report, Cm 6859, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Speech by John Hutton MP (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), 19 June 2006
Links: Consultation responses | Green Paper | Text of speech | Rethink press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined the evidence linking poverty and disability, and the experiences and attitudes of disabled parents to paid employment. It considered whether disability benefits and support services were accessible, adequate, and appropriate; and the impact government policy had had on the lives of disabled people and their children. Overcoming poverty was essential if the extent of disability and ill-health were to be reduced.
Source: Gabrielle Preston, A Route out of Poverty? Disabled people, work and welfare reform, Child Poverty Action Group (020 7837 7979)
Links: Summary | CPAG press release
Date: 2006-Jun
A new book examined trends in disability benefit recipiency in six post-industrial societies (Denmark, Great Britain, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United States).
Source: Peter Kemp, Annika Sund n and Bernhard Bakker Tauritz (eds.), Sick Societies? Trends in disability benefits in post-industrial welfare states, International Social Security Association (issa@ilo.org)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jun
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the reform of incapacity benefits. It said that it recognized that the aspiration to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefits by 1 million was demanding: but the 'Pathways to Work' programme could make a substantial contribution to meeting the target, particularly when supported by the reform of incapacity benefits and other measures outlined in its Green Paper on welfare reform.
Source: Report on Incapacity Benefits and Pathways to Work: Reply by the Government to the Work and Pensions Select Committee, Cm 6861, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report by a committee of MPs said that proposals to replace incapacity benefits with a new employment and support allowance could leave some claimants worse off.
Source: Incapacity Benefits and Pathways to Work, Third Report (Session 2005-06), HC 616, House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Committee press release | CPAG press release | Mind press release | BBC report
Date: 2006-May
A report presented findings from a qualitative research project to investigate the routes by which people became recipients of incapacity benefits. The issue of health dominated most claimants' accounts of their position. There was no apparent link between people?s views about incapacity benefit (as stigmatizing or as a right) and whether or not they came off benefit.
Source: Roy Sainsbury and Jacqueline Davidson, Routes Onto Incapacity Benefits: Findings from qualitative research, Research Report 350, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2006-May
Two qualitative research reports were published on the 'pathways to work' incapacity benefit reform pilots. The first report examined customer views and experiences of the pilot over a period of nine months. The second report focused on the experiences of programme managers and practitioners. There was evidence to suggest that participants in the pilots could be helped to take suitable jobs, to see paid work as a more immediate possibility, or to become more focused on work.
Source: Anne Corden and Katharine Nice, Incapacity Benefit Reforms Pilot: Findings from the second cohort in a longitudinal panel of clients, Research Report 345, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040) | Helen Barnes and Maria Hudson, Pathways to Work: Qualitative research on the Condition Management Programme, Research Report 346, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report 345 | Summary 345 | Report 346 | Summary 346 | DWP press release
Date: 2006-Apr
A report examined medical assessments for incapacity and disability benefits. It said that the process was deeply flawed. An incorrect decision could cause great hardship, but an appeal could take months. Success rates for appeals were very high. People with mental health problems were especially likely to suffer from poor assessments.
Source: What the Doctor Ordered?, Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181)
Links: Report | Citizens Advice press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Mar
The government announced that the maximum weekly payment from the Independent Living (1993) Fund would increase in April 2006 from 420 per week to 455 per week ( 23,660 per year), and for the Independent Living (Extension) Fund from 715 per week to 785 per week ( 40,820 per year). (The Independent Living Funds make grants to people with high support needs who wish to live independently in the community.)
Source: Press release 9 March 2006, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A Member of Parliament introduced a Bill designed to require any medical practitioner who diagnosed a terminal illness in a patient to inform the government; and to require the government to give the patient information about their entitlement to, and a claim form for, attendance allowance and disability living allowance.
Source: Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance (Information) Bill, Anne Main MP, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill
Date: 2006-Mar
The government published updated estimates which showed there were over 10 million disabled people in Britain in 2003-04, including people with limiting long-standing illnesses. Of those, 4.6 million were over state pension age and 700,000 were children. The estimated annual spending power of disabled adults was unchanged, at around 80 billion.
Source: Press release 9 February 2006, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release
Date: 2006-Feb
An article outlined the findings of a qualitative study with 20 families each of whom had a disabled child who had recently been awarded disability living allowance. It examined the impact this additional income had had on their lives.
Source: Gabrielle Preston, 'Families with disabled children, benefits and poverty', Benefits, Volume 14 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Feb
A report evaluated pilot changes to the claiming requirements and services offered for incapacity benefit claimants. Many claimants were positive about the contact that they had with personal advisers and valued the support and encouragement that they had received: but some claimants felt that their hopes had been raised and then dashed in the pilot, having expected to find work quickly.
Source: Helen Barnes and Maria Hudson, Pathways to Work: Extension to Some Existing Customers - Early findings from qualitative research, Research Report 323, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2006-Feb
A report analyzed activity and performance in the incapacity benefit reforms ('Pathways to Work') pilots. Evidence on performance was "encouraging". There was an increase in flows off incapacity benefit after 6 months of around 8 percentage points, with early indications that this appeared to be leading to a reduction in incapacity benefit caseload sizes.
Source: Billy Blyth, Incapacity Benefit Reforms: Pathways to Work pilots performance and analysis, Working Paper 26, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2006-Jan
The government published a Green Paper on welfare reform. It set out proposals for achieving an 80 per cent employment rate for people of working age - by reducing the number of people on incapacity benefits by 1 million; helping 1 million older workers into employment; and helping over 300,000 lone parents into work. Proposals for incapacity benefit included a new gateway to benefits for people with illness and disabilities; revision of the medical assessment procedures, focusing on ability and support needs rather than incapacity; mandatory work-focused interviews supported by a mandatory action plan of return to work activity for new and existing claimants; and a new employment and support allowance paid to eligible claimants.
Source: A New Deal for Welfare: Empowering people to work, Cm 6730, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Green Paper | Hansard | DWP press release | CPAG press release | Citizens Advice press release | OPF press release | DRC press release | MHF press release | Mind press release | TUC press release | PCS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jan