Incapacity benefit reforms to encourage returning to work

The Government has issued a Green Paper setting out how it intends to increase the number of people moving off incapacity benefit and back into work.

The proposals, set out in the Green Paper 'A new deal for welfare: Empowering people to work', include the introduction of an employment and support allowance to replace incapacity benefit for new claimants. It will be paid to individuals in return for undertaking work-related interviews; agreeing an action plan; and participating in some form of work-related activity. Individuals with the most severe health conditions and disabilities will receive the new allowance without having to fulfil these conditions.

Existing claimants will continue to receive incapacity benefits, but will be given more encouragement to return to work through regular assessments of their fitness, work-related interviews and action plans.

The Government also plans to improve the role played by GPs and primary care staff in getting people back to work; pilot the placement of employment advisers in GP surgeries; and look at reforming statutory sick pay to encourage people to stay in work rather than move onto incapacity benefits.

The deadline for comments on the Green Paper is 21 April 2006.

  • A new deal for welfare: empowering people to work   The Department for Work and Pensions website summarises the proposals.

  • Welfare Reform Green Paper   Read the Green Paper in full on the Department for Work and Pensions website.

  • Incapacity shake-up aims to get one million back to work  personneltoday.com reports.

  • Incapacity benefit   XpertHR's statutory rates section providing the current rates for incapacity benefit.

    Also

    Scheme gets incapacity claimants off the streets and back into work   Personnel Today reports.

    Everyone will benefit from government welfare reforms   By Margaret Hodge, Minister of State at the Department for Work & Pensions with responsibility for Work, writing in Personnel Today.

    From social exclusion to inclusive recruitment   By targeting marginalised groups in society, such as long-term unemployed people and individuals with disabilities, employers can both ease their resourcing difficulties and contribute to social regeneration.

    Losing the benefit crutch   The DWP is piloting a scheme to install a number of job centre advisors in GP surgeries to advise people on long-term incapacity benefit on getting back to work.

    Inconclusive study on sicknotes   Extensive research into possible alternatives to current arrangements for certifying incapacity for work has been inconclusive, with a wide range of opinions expressed by non-medical healthcare professionals about GPs being relieved of some of their responsibilities.

    Long-term sick benefit from OH support   Speaking at the 19th annual Occupational Health Nurses' Forum (Scotland), Norma Bennie, the NHS project director for incapacity benefit, outlined the progress being made by the NHS in a pilot project in Argyll & Clyde relating to the reform of incapacity benefits.

    Government wants more older people in work   The Government has set itself the target of getting an additional 1 million people over the age of 50 into work.