Researchers found that the New Deal for Disabled People appeared to have attracted people who, if not already in a job, wanted paid work. However, only a quarter had been looking for work prior to registration. Generally, registrants were positive about how job brokers operated and the services they provided. (The NDDP is a voluntary programme that aims to help people on incapacity benefits move into sustained employment.)
Source: Karl Ashworth et al., New Deal for Disabled People National Extension: First wave of the first cohort of the survey of registrants, W180, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
A report set out the results from a representative survey of 1,315 recipients of the disabled person s tax credit conducted during 2001. Almost 80 per cent of respondents had found the tax credit they received to be either essential (43 per cent) or very helpful (36 per cent). About a third (32 per cent) reported that it had allowed them to work, or had made work more worthwhile financially, either for themselves or their partner. A second report, summarising qualitative research, showed that for some people the credit had increased their personal and financial security, enabled them to do suitable work, helped to meet the costs of childcare, and increased the income flow towards children. But levels of understanding of the main structural features were fairly low, and some structural and administrative elements were perceived negatively - including employer involvement, the overall effect of tapers and interactions with housing benefits, and the way in which people were asked to demonstrate disadvantage at work.
Source: John Atkinson, Nigel Meager and Sara Dewson, Evaluation of the Disabled Person s Tax Credit: Survey of recipients, Research Report 6, Inland Revenue (020 7438 6420) | Anne Corden and Roy Sainsbury, Evaluation of the Disabled Person s Tax Credit: Views and experiences of recipients, Research Report 5, Inland Revenue
Links: Report 6 (pdf) | Report 5 (pdf) | Inland Revenue summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
Two reports summarised employers' experiences of working families' tax credit and disabled person's tax credit. Almost half (46 per cent) of employers said payroll administration of the tax credits was very easy to manage. In all, 9 in 10 said it was either very easy or quite easy to run, and only 2 per cent found it very difficult .
Source: Rosemary Athayde, Robert Blackburn, Mark Hart and John Kitching, Working Families' Tax Credit and Disabled Person's Tax Credit: The views, attitudes and experiences of employers, Research Report 3, Inland Revenue (020 7438 6420) | Nick Coleman, Mark Peters, Alex Bryson and Helen Bewley, Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Person s Tax Credit: Survey of employers, Research Report 4, Inland Revenue
Links: Report 3 (pdf) | Report 4 (pdf) | Appendices to Report 4 (pdf) | Inland Revenue summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
A report examined what becoming disabled really meant; the risk of becoming disabled; the relationship between pre-existing poverty and becoming disabled; changes in income and transitions into and out of poverty, both before and after becoming disabled; changes in economic activity which took place when someone became disabled; the role of state benefits; and the effect of onset of disability on participation more broadly, for example in terms of leisure activities. Adults were more likely to become disabled if they were already living on low incomes.
Source: Tania Burchardt, Being and Becoming: Social exclusion and the onset of disability, CASEreport 21, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings N23 | JRF press release
Date: 2003-Nov
An article said the damages that courts awarded to people involved in accidents failed to compensate them fully for the loss of future earnings.
Source: Richard Lewis, Bob McNabb, Helen Robinson and Victoria Wass, 'Loss of earnings following personal injury: do the courts adequately compensate injured parties? , Economic Journal, Volume 113 Issue 491, Royal Economic Society (0117 983 9770)
Links: RES press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
The National Audit office said that arrangements for the medical assessment of benefit claims had improved since a previous report in 2001. Speed of processing, the standard of medical reports and the quality of service provided were all better. However, the government and its contractor could learn more from the results of appeals, work to obtain better evidence, and deal with overbooking appointments and customers failing to attend.
Source: Progress in Improving the Medical Assessment of Incapacity and Disability Benefits, HC 1141 (Session 2002-03), National Audit Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Appendix (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | NAO press release
Date: 2003-Oct
Researchers sought to establish information about those eligible and those invited to take part in the New Deal for Disabled People - their work aspirations, and their attitudes to (and awareness of) the programme.
Source: Catherine Woodward, Anne Kazimirski, Andrew Shaw and Candice Pires, New Deal for Disabled People: Evaluation eligible population survey wave one interim report, W170, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8299)
Links: Report (pdf)|Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
An article examined what was achieved by introducing the disability working allowance. It considered the stated objectives and other evidence about what was behind the policy, including the aims of those who lobbied government on 'partial capacity'. (Disability working allowance was introduced in 1992 as a benefit to top up the wages of disabled people working 16 hours a week or more.)
Source: N. Cockett, 'Disability Working Allowance: what was the point?', Benefits, Volume 11 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Oct
An article outlined the reasons given for the introduction of the New Deal for Disabled People, and how it evolved from a pilot to a national programme. It said that policy makers appeared to be continuing to search for an effective programme that would help the client group move into paid work, but that a more 'individualised' approach might be required.
Source: Bruce Stafford, 'In search of a welfare-to-work solution: the New Deal for Disabled People', Benefits, Volume 11 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Oct
Researchers found that disabled people's reactions to initial contact with job brokers under the New Deal for Disabled People were positive: but there were mixed opinions about the services offered, the pace of service, and about whether the job brokers were sufficiently pro-active in the process of finding work.
Source: Anne Corden et al., New Deal for Disabled People National Extension: Findings from the first wave of qualitative research with clients, job brokers and Jobcentre Plus staff, W169, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8299)
Links: Report (pdf)|Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
An article said that more detailed consideration needed to be given to what distinguished between those disabled people who were, and were not, in work. Average figures for employment masked a very wide range of variation in the prospects faced by individual disabled people immensely wider than the range for the population as a whole.
Source: Richard Berthoud, 'Disabled people and jobs', Benefits, Volume 11 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Oct
An article questioned the need for disability categories in the social security system. It argued that disability categories were problematic: the evidence on which decisions had to be made was complex, and understandings of the nature of disability were highly contested. It suggested that disability categories could be reformed by unification with other categories used in the same policy area (such as unemployment) or by fragmentation into new, smaller categories, particularly through the use of casework.
Source: Deborah Mabbett, 'Why have disability categories in social security?', Benefits, Volume 11 Number 3
Links: Article (Word file) | Abstract
Date: 2003-Oct
An article drew on lay perspectives to question some assumptions underpinning the government's New Deal for Disabled People. The programme aimed to enhance labour supply, but the problems people experienced were more about the organisation of work and the limited demand for their skills.
Source: Donna Easterlow and Susan Smith, 'Health and employment: towards a New Deal', Policy and Politics, Volume 31 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Oct
A research report provided evidence on the factors that placed people at risk of losing their job who had been off work because of illness, injury or disability for between 6 and 26 weeks. It was found that there were no published screening tools suitable for identifying those most at risk.
Source: Jean Peters et al., Literature Review of Risk Factors for Job Loss Following Sickness Absence, In-House Report 122, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A private member's Bill was introduced to give free bus passes to pensioners and disabled people in England.
Source: Joyce Quin MP, Transport (Concessionary Fares) Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 16 September 2003, columns 721-722, TSO
Links: Hansard
Date: 2003-Sep
Two reports provided findings from a pilot (in Sheffield and Rotherham in 2002) which tested an alternative method of collecting medical evidence for the personal capability assessment for incapacity benefit claims (evidence was taken directly from family doctor case notes rather than relying on a written report). It was found that the additional information sometimes raised questions about the client's eligibility, causing more cases to be referred for examination. Clients who participated in the pilot were 3 per cent more likely to be disallowed benefit following their assessment than those who did not.
Source: Roy Sainsbury, Anne Corden and Naomi Finch, Medical Evidence and Incapacity Benefit: Evaluation of a pilot study, Research Report 189, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040) | Simon Marlow and Joe McLaughlin, Evidence Gathering Pilot: Quantitative analysis, In-House Report 119, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report 189 | Summary 189 (pdf) | In-House Report 119 (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Jul
An official survey examined the attitudes of incapacity benefit claimants and Jobcentre Plus staff, prior to the introduction of pilot schemes aimed at moving IB claimants off benefit and into work. Some confusion was found regarding the level of intervention staff should provide, with staff expecting claimants to be more proactive.
Source: Carol Goldstone and Laurette Douglas, Pathways to Work from Incapacity Benefits: Pre-pilot exploration of staff and customer attitudes, W162, Department for Work and Pensions (0114 209 8274)
Links: W162 (pdf) | W162 summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
Consultation began on regulations governing pilot schemes (from October 2003) for incapacity benefit claimants. The regulations built on the work-focused interview regulations introduced to support the rollout of the Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices, and included the same provisions for deferral and waiver, sanctions, good cause and right of appeal.
Source: Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-Focused Interviews) Regulations 2003: Explanatory Memorandum, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: SSAC press release | DWP explanatory memorandum (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
The government published the responses to a consultation exercise on incapacity benefit recipients. It said that most people endorsed the proposals in the consultation document. It confirmed that, starting from October 2003, it would go ahead with pilot schemes designed to provide more effective support, advice and encouragement to assist people on incapacity benefit to remain in work or, should they leave a job, return to employment as soon as possible.
Source: Pathways to Work: Helping people into employment - Government s response and action plan, Cm 5830, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release | Green Paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
A committee of MPs said that a substantial number of the 2.7 million incapacity benefits claimants represented 'hidden unemployment' (although this did not mean that people had wrongly or fraudulently claimed). It said it supported re-naming incapacity benefit, to help to dispel the myth that many disabled people were unable to work. It also recommended that all frontline staff should undergo disability awareness training to prevent disabled people becoming further disillusioned with the employment service.
Source: Employment for All: Interim report, Fourth Report (Session 2002-03), HC 401-I, House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Work Foundation press release
Date: 2003-Apr
Campaigners expressed concern that changes to the way pensions were paid would undermine the ability of a person with dementia to remain independent. They said that a system based on bank accounts with personal identification numbers was ill-suited to people with dementia who faced severe memory problems; and that people with dementia had great difficulty using new technology such as swipe cards.
Source: Press release 25.4.03, Alzheimer's Society (020 7306 0606)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Apr
From 1 April 2003 invalid care allowance was renamed 'carer's allowance'.
Source: Press release 31.3.03, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Apr
The government announced that a review would be conducted in order to provide an up-to-date picture of the level of fraud and error in disability living allowance.
Source: Oral evidence 3.3.03 by Richard Mottram (Permanent Secretary at Department for Work and Pensions), Session 2002-03, HC488-i, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Uncorrected evidence
Date: 2003-Mar
The Social Security Advisory Committee began consultation on government proposals to tighten the definition of 'exceptional circumstances' where a person with insufficient points under the personal capability assessment (for incapacity benefit and certain others) may be treated as incapable of work. (This followed a Court of Appeal judgement on 8 November 2002.) Campaigners reportedly called the proposals 'sneaky', and said that some people, such as those with mental health problems, could fail the assessment but still be unable to work because a secondary factor, such as stress, triggers their condition.
Source: Press release 10.3.03, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171) | Community Care, 18.3.03
Links: DWP press release | Memorandum to SSAC | Community Care article
Date: 2003-Mar
A report, based on the experiences of disabled people in Scotland, called for more and better advice services for disabled people. It said that 97 per cent of people found the application forms for disability living allowance difficult to complete.
Source: The Struggle for Disability Living Allowance, Disability Agenda Scotland, available from Scottish Association for Mental Health (0141 568 7000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2003-Mar
A report examined the effects on disabled people of the loss of their disability benefits while in hospital. It argued that the period before disability living allowance and attendance allowance are withdrawn should be extended from 4 to 13 weeks to bring these benefits into line with other benefits; and that the rule under which odd days in hospital are added together should be scrapped and only substantial periods of 4 weeks or more taken into account.
Source: Withdrawing Benefit from Sick People: How not to aid the recovery of disabled people in hospital, Disability Alliance (020 7247 8776)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
Researchers found that the extra costs of living associated with disability are substantial, especially for disabled people living alone, and that these costs rise with severity of disability. They concluded that the problem of low income amongst disabled people may therefore have been significantly underestimated.
Source: Asghar Zaidi and Tania Burchardt, Comparing Incomes When Needs Differ: Equivalisation for the extra costs of disability in the UK, CASEpaper 64, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2003-Feb
Responding to a government Green Paper on incapacity benefit recipients, campaigners argued that a proper level of financial support for those out of work is essential if people are to remain socially included and to provide a suitable platform from which people can engage in jobsearch and training activities.
Source: Pathways to Work: Helping people into employment - Response, R36, Disability Alliance (020 7247 8776)
Links: Response (pdf) | Green Paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb