A paper examined the needs and resources of disabled people, and the impact of attendance allowance and the care component of disability living allowance. Although these payments were awarded on the basis of the need for care, a high proportion of claimants seem not to be receiving any care, and only one-quarter even of those living on their own were cared for by any paid workers. Either the allowances were better at reaching disabled people than social services, or a large proportion of disability benefit payments were going to people who were getting by either with no care, or with help from their families.
Source: Richard Berthoud and Ruth Hancock, Disability Benefits and Paying for Care, Working Paper 2008-40, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2008-Dec
A report synthesized the findings from the various strands of the evaluation of 'Pathways to Work', relating to new and repeat incapacity benefits claimants in the original seven pilot areas. The results of 13 previously published reports were summarized, covering claimant and adviser views and experiences, impact, and cost-benefit assessment. A linked report examined the experiences of existing claimants in the pilot areas.
Source: Richard Dorsett, Pathways to Work for New and Repeat Incapacity Benefits Claimants: Evaluation synthesis report, Research Report 525, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040) | Jon Hales, Oliver Hayllar, Christianah Iyaniwura and Martin Wood, Pathways to Work: The Experiences of Existing Customers – Findings from a survey of existing incapacity benefits customers in the first seven pilot areas, Research Report 527, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report 525 | Summary 525 | Report 527 | Summary 527
Date: 2008-Oct
From 27 October 2008 incapacity benefit was abolished for new claimants and replaced by a new employment and support allowance. People claiming the new allowance would be subject to a 'work capability assessment' conducted by a health professional. The new assessment was designed to identify what people could do, rather than what they could not. People assessed as having the severest disabilities or health conditions would go into the 'support group' and receive more money: everyone else would go into the 'work group.'
Source: Press release 27 October 2008, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release | Hansard | CPAG press release | Scope press release | Rethink press release | MHF press release | Durham University press release | Conservative Party press release | BBC report | Personnel Today report | Inside Housing report | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Oct
An article examined the different ways in which insecure and permanent workers managed their ill-health while in work. People in insecure jobs were less likely than those in secure employment to be entitled to sick pay, and were consequently more likely to claim incapacity-related benefits when they became sick.
Source: Jacqueline Davidson and Peter Kemp, 'Sickness benefits in a polarised labour market', Benefits, Volume 16 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Oct
An article examined the impact on incomes of introducing the new employment and support allowance (replacing incapacity benefit from October 2008 onwards).
Source: Alan Franco, 'The economic impact of the introduction of employment and support allowance', Benefits, Volume 16 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Oct
A report examined the extent to which applicants for disability living allowance understood the benefit's purpose and entitlement conditions, in the light of the fact that a proportion of applications were being made by applicants who 'clearly did not meet' the eligibility criteria for the benefit.
Source: Andrew Thomas, Disability Living Allowance: Disallowed Claims, Research Report 490, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2008-Jul
A report presented findings from a follow-up survey of people who had recently claimed incapacity benefit, conducted about one year after their claim began. Many of the people whose health or disability condition no longer existed, or whose overall health had improved, had returned to work since the first interview: but many of those whose health had got worse now felt that they were permanently off work due to sickness or disability.
Source: Peter Kemp and Jacqueline Davidson, Routes Onto Incapacity Benefit: Findings from a follow-up survey of recent claimants, Research Report 516, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2008-Jul
A report said that disabled people were twice as likely to live in poverty as non-disabled people, and that they were also more likely to live in poverty today than they had been 10 years previously. It set out a number of recommendations, on issues ranging from savings to housing, to help bring about change. It also outlined a series of 'indicators' designed to monitor all aspects of disability poverty, from income to quality of life.
Source: Guy Parckar, Disability Poverty in the UK, Leonard Cheshire (020 7802 8204)
Links: Report | Leonard Cheshire press release | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Jan
The Department for Work and Pensions announced that the Pension Service and the Disability and Carers Service would be brought together into a single agency – the Pension, Disability and Carers Service – from 1 April 2008. Over half the customers of the Disability and Carers Service were also customers of the Pension Service, and the proportion was growing as people lived longer. The new agency would enable a 'better and more seamless service' to be delivered to them.
Source: Press release 22 January 2008, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release | Hansard
Date: 2008-Jan