17/11/2011

The report ‘Incapacity Benefit Reform: The local, regional and national impact’ says the loss of entitlement is due to new benefit rules and that, ‘It does not necessarily indicate that the health problems or disabilities that previously gave entitlement are anything other than genuine’.

The report highlights three key reforms: the reassessment of all Incapacity Benefit claimants using a tougher medical test, (the Work Capability assessment), limiting the non-means tested benefit, Employment Seekers Allowance (ESA) to one year and new requirements to engage in work-related activity.

Authors Christina Beatty and Steve Fothergill, say that these reforms are ‘probably the most far-reaching changes benefits system for at least a generation’ and that claimants will have to ‘jump through new medical hoops and prepare themselves for jobs they are most unlikely to find’ Time-limiting the entitlement non-means tested benefit (ESA) alone will ‘crank up the levels of distress’.

The report points out there is little likelihood that the reforms will lead to a big fall in claimant numbers or a ‘significant increase in employment as incapacity benefit claimants often face multiple obstacles to working again.’ Distress will be caused to claimants and the treasury will be the only beneficiary of the reforms.

The full report is available at: http://www.shu.ac.uk/_assets/pdf/cresr-final-incapacity-benefit-reform.pdf