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
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 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 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
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
A report highlighted the financial problems faced by families with disabled children. 1 in 6 had inadequate incomes to pay for essentials such as food and heating.
Source: Counting the Costs, Contact a Family (020 7608 8700)
Links: Report | CAF press release | EDCM press release
Date: 2008-Aug
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
Researchers found that taking part in the Pathways to Work programme significantly increased the chances of long-term sick and disabled people finding work, with more people finding work more quickly than those who had not taken part in the scheme at all.
Source: Helen Bewley, Richard Dorsett and Marisa Ratto, Evidence on the Effect of Pathways to Work on Existing Claimants, Research Report 488, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040) | Roy Sainsbury et al., The Pathways Advisory Service: Placing Employment Advisers in GP Surgeries, Research Report 494, Department for Work and Pensions | Stuart Adam, Antoine Bozio, Carl Emmerson, David Greenberg and Genevieve Knight, A Cost-benefit Analysis of Pathways to Work for New and Repeat Incapacity Benefits Claimants, Research Report 498, Department for Work and Pensions
Links: Report 488 | Summary 488 | Report 494 | Summary 494 | Report 498 | Summary 498 | DWP press release
Date: 2008-May
A survey found that the total number of days lost to sickness in 2007 fell slightly compared to the previous year: workers took an average of 6.7 days off sick, down from 7 days in 2006. The gap between the number of sick days taken by workers in the public and private sectors had widened to a record level.
Source: CBI/AXA Absence and Labour Turnover Survey 2008, Confederation of British Industry (020 7395 8247)
Links: CBI press release | Guardian report | Personnel Today report
Date: 2008-May
Researchers examined the key issues for people returning to work after an incapacity benefits claim, and how these issues were addressed by 'Pathways to Work' in-work support. People valued the tailored and flexible nature of the service. It was most useful for those who needed support with mental health or confidence issues, and was also 'highly valued' by those who had been out of work for a long time.
Source: Josie Dixon and Martha Warrener, Pathways to Work: Qualitative Study of In-work Support, Research Report 478, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report | Summary | DWP press release
Date: 2008-Apr
Researchers examined the characteristics and circumstances of new claimants of incapacity benefit. Recent claimants were disproportionately male and drawn from older age groups. Just over half of recent claimants had had some connection with paid work immediately prior to their claim.
Source: Peter Kemp and Jacqueline Davidson, Routes onto incapacity benefit: findings from a survey of recent claimants, Research Report 469, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2008-Mar
The government announced the rates for the new work-focused employment and support allowance, which would replace incapacity benefits in Great Britain for all new and repeat claimants from October 2008. Claimants who passed the new work capability assessment and were identified as capable of taking part in some form of work-related activity would be entitled to claim ESA at a rate of £84.50 per week. Those identified as not able to take part in any work-related activity (the most severely disabled group) would have a guaranteed income of £102.10 per week (£17.60 more than the long-term rate of incapacity benefit), while everyone else in this category would receive a minimum of £89.50 per week.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 27 March 2008, columns 19-20WS, TSO (0870 600 5522) | The Welfare Reform Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6 and Consequential Provisions) Order 2008, Statutory Instrument 2008/787, TSO
Links: Hansard | DWP press release | Text of Statutory Instrument | CPAG press release | Citizens Advice press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Mar
An article examined patients' views of sickness certification within general practice consultations, and how these could be improved. Patients did not feel that being questioned by their family doctor or discussing return to work threatened the doctor-patient relationship.
Source: Kathryn O'Brien, Naomi Cadbury, Stephen Rollnick and Fiona Wood, 'Sickness certification in the general practice consultation: the patients' perspective, a qualitative study', Family Practice, Volume 25 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Mar
The government announced (in the Budget) that all incapacity benefit claimants would be required to attend the new 'work capability assessment' from April 2010 – not just (as previously proposed) claimants under 24 and new claimants.
Source: Budget 2008: Stability and opportunity – building a strong, sustainable future, HC 388, HM Treasury, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Budget Report | Hansard | HMT press release | MHF press release | Liberal Democrats press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Mar
A government minister said that he wanted to explore how family doctors could help to change the 'sick note culture' into a 'well note culture'.
Source: Speech by Alan Johnson MP (Secretary of State for Health), 20 February 2008
Links: Text of speech | DH press release | NHS Employers press release | Citizens Advice press release | EFD press release | Personnel Today report | Telegraph report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Feb
The government's adviser on welfare reform (David Freud) said that up to two-thirds of people claiming incapacity benefit were not entitled to it, and that the tests used to award the benefit were 'ludicrous'.
Source: The Daily Telegraph, 4 February 2008
Links: Telegraph report (1) | Telegraph report (2) | CPAG press release | EFD press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Feb
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
Researchers found that the imposition of a sanction had a significant impact on the attendance of 'Pathways to Work' claimants at work-focused interviews: but there was limited evidence of wider voluntary engagement with the programme as a result. Sanctioning had an uneven financial impact across the sample, with evidence that sanctions hit the more socially deprived or isolated, or longer-term benefit recipients, harder.
Source: Karen Bunt and Anita Maidment, Qualitative Research Exploring the Pathways to Work Sanctions Regime, Research Report 475, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report | Summary | CPAG press release
Date: 2008-Jan