The seventh in a regular series of reports monitored indicators of poverty and social exclusion in Great Britain. It highlighted issues concerning disabled people in particular. 3 out of every 10 disabled adults of working age were living in poverty a higher proportion than a decade previously, and double the rate among non-disabled adults. Disabled adults were more likely to live in poor households than either pensioners or children.
Source: Guy Palmer, Jane Carr and Peter Kenway, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2005, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings | JRF press release | CPAG press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Dec
The disability rights watchdog said that three key principles should be reflected in future reform of incapacity benefits: a fairer balance between responsibilities of individuals to consider work and responsibilities of employers; a flexible and responsive system that supported disabled people s participation; and comprehensive support with work and everyday activities to enable people to carry out their responsibilities.
Source: Welfare Reform Policy Paper, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Paper
Date: 2005-Nov
A report said that disabled people often faced higher costs, but had lower than average incomes, driving them towards problem debt. However, the credit industry failed to recognize the impact that disability could have on borrowers.
Source: Claire Kober, In The Balance: Disabled people s experiences of debt, Leonard Cheshire (020 7802 8204)
Links: Report (pdf) | Leonard Cheshire press release
Date: 2005-Oct
A report reviewed research carried out on the level of extra costs faced by disabled people. Most studies concluded that there were extra costs associated with being disabled, even if the actual amount (and what should be included within this) was under debate.
Source: Mike Tibble, Review of Evidence on the Extra Costs of Disability, Working Paper 21, CDS/Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Working paper (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2005-Sep
A research report sought to assess the longer-term outcomes from the 'permitted work rules' (introduced in April 2002, under which claimants of incapacity benefits were allowed to work up to 16 hours per week and earn a set amount, for a limited period of time). It concluded that many claimants had been able to gain invaluable experience of working, while still receiving benefits, before making the move to full-time work.
Source: Sara Dewson, Sara Davis and George Loukas, Final Outcomes from the Permitted Work Rules, Research Report 268, CDS/Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A report presented an analysis of the views and experiences of participants in incapacity benefit reform pilots, including their attitudes towards working, their involvement with the series of work-focused interviews, and their use of existing and new services available through the pilots.
Source: Anne Corden, Katharine Nice and Roy Sainsbury, Incapacity Benefit Reforms Pilot: Findings from a longitudinal panel of clients, Research Report 259, CDS/Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jul
A research report provided findings from a feasibility study into the potential for extending responsibility for issuing sickness certificates to healthcare professionals other than doctors.
Source: Karen Niven, The Potential for Certification of Incapacity for Work by Non-medical Healthcare Professionals, Research Report 225, CDS/Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (large pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2005-Jul
A research report provided findings from research into the approaches adopted by family doctors to sickness absence. Doctors viewed sickness absence as almost always genuine: but the behaviour of patients was influenced by subjective reactions to the experience of illness, organizational culture and financial circumstances.
Source: Alice Mowlam and Jane Lewis, Exploring how General Practitioners Work with Patients on Sick Leave, Research Report 257, CDS/Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2005-Jul
A think-tank report said that the incapacity benefit reforms planned by the government failed to address the disincentives to hire claimants that employers faced.
Source: Moussa Haddad (ed.), The Incapacity Trap, Social Market Foundation (020 7222 7060)
Links: SMF press release
Date: 2005-Jul
Researchers reported on the second wave of qualitative research (carried out in late 2003/early 2004) into the job broking service of the New Deal for Disabled People. The overall aim was to explore the organization, operation and impacts of the job broker service from the perspective of key stakeholders, including users and providers of job broker services, and staff of Jobcentre Plus offices.
Source: Jane Lewis et al., New Deal for Disabled People: An In-depth Study of Job Broker Service Delivery, Research Report 246, CDS/Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
The government announced plans (in the Queen's speech) for an Incapacity Benefit Bill. The Bill would be aimed at reducing the numbers on incapacity benefit, while ensuring adequate provision for those who were ill or seriously disabled.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 May 2005, columns 29-31, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2005-May
The government announced changes (in the Budget) to the 'linking rules' for incapacity benefit. People would be able to return to the same benefit they had previously been on if a job did not work out, for up to two years.
Source: Investing for our Future: Fairness and opportunity for Britain s hard-working families, HC 372, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 16 March 2005, columns 257-269, TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 March 2005, columns 419-492, TSO
Links: Report (pdf) | Report (pdf links) | Hansard (Budget speech) | Hansard (Budget debate) | HMT press release | DWP press release
Date: 2005-Mar
The government announced that the 'pathways to work' pilots for incapacity benefit claimants, which included more frequent mandatory interviews and had previously focused on new claimants, would be extended to those who had been on the benefit for up to three years.
Source: Press release 7 February 2005, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release
Date: 2005-Feb
The government announced plans to reform incapacity benefit (contained in the five-year plan for the Department for Work and Pensions). Future claimants would be put on a holding benefit paid at jobseeker's allowance rates, and would access the new reformed benefits only once they had been medically assessed. Those with more manageable conditions would receive a 'rehabilitation support allowance' at jobseeker's allowance levels - with additions for attending work-focused interviews, and for taking steps to return to the labour market. Those with the most severe conditions would automatically receive more money than under existing arrangements, on a 'disability and sickness allowance'. The new proposals would be piloted and subject to consultation, but with the goal that key elements would be in place for new claimants by 2008. An advice group said that the reforms would only succeed if they were properly resourced, and if the quality of decision-making improved greatly. Mental health campaigners warned that the proposals would discriminate against mentally ill people. But the disability rights watchdog welcomed them.
Source: Five Year Strategy: Opportunity and security throughout life, Cm 6447, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522) | Press release 2 February 2005, Citizens Advice (020 7833 2181) | Press release 2 February 2005, Rethink (formerly National Schizophrenia Fellowship) (020 7330 9100) | Press release 2 February 2005, Disability Rights Commission (08457 622633)
Links: Strategy (pdf) | DWP press release | Citizens Advice press release | Rethink press release | Mind press release | DRC press release | CPAG press release | TUC press release | IOD press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Feb
A paper investigated the experience of families with disabled children who applied for disability living allowance, and how they used additional benefit income. Families reported that DLA made a significant difference, not just for the disabled child but for the whole family. However, the fact that DLA was repeatedly downrated or withdrawn generated considerable fluctuations in income and high levels of stress and ill-health. The report outlined issues that needed to be addressed if poverty among disabled children were to be reduced.
Source: Gabrielle Preston, Helter Skelter: Families, disabled children and the benefit system, CASEpaper 92, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2005-Feb
A report looked at some of the issues raised directly by disabled parents, and considered whether the current benefit system adequately reflected the specific needs of disabled people with parental responsibilities. Disabled parents were not a homogenous group, and their needs varied significantly according to their impairment, their age and the number and ages of their children. There was, however, a dearth of information on the numbers, needs and circumstances of disabled parents and their children.
Source: Gabrielle Preston, Family Values: Disabled parents, extra costs and the benefits system, Disability Alliance (020 7247 8776)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
The opposition Conservative party announced a plan to help incapacity benefits claimants to return to work. It would offer a greatly enhanced role for the private and voluntary sectors - with payment by results for contractors, who would be paid a fixed amount per claimant on the completion of various milestones. It would provide rehabilitation to the estimated two-thirds of claimants (1.8 million) with manageable conditions who could undertake some form of work, and security for the remaining third (0.9 million) who were unable to work.
Source: Press release 31 January 2005, Conservative Party (020 7222 9000)
Links: Conservative Party press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan