3rd February 2005
This week's announcement of Government plans to reform the UK's Incapacity Benefit (IB) system is welcomed by UnumProvident, the UK's leading disability insurer, as part of a vital shift towards an 'ability to work' rather than the negative focus on 'disability'.
In particular, the insurer applauds the wider rollout of the Pathways to Work Programme by 2006 and the removal of the perverse incentive to remain on IB, inherent in the current system, which provided higher benefits to the longest claimants.
UnumProvident also commends the announcement made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that from 2008 all new claimants will receive 'Rehabilitation Support' rather than Incapacity Benefit. But while understanding the delay is for sound fiscal reasons it is a pity that three more years have to pass before this is completed.
At the same time, the insurer stressed that these new reforms should not impact negatively on those who are unable, for whatever period of time, to pursue long term employment, and encouraged the Government to use monies saved by the reform to provide greater support to those unable to work at all.
Joanne Hindle, Corporate Services Director of UnumProvident, said:
We acknowledge these reforms have the capacity to do much to improve the current IB system. More support must be given to those who are really unable to work and more should be done to help the million people currently on IB who want to work, back into employment.
However, through our ongoing work with New Beginnings, a public-private partnership focused on helping disabled people back into work, we recognise that there is still much progress to be made in terms of employer support for workplace adjustments, greater potential for voluntary organisations to effect return-to-work outcomes and more effective dialogues between employers and health specialists.
UnumProvident also commended the Official Opposition's greater focus on Personal Capability Assessments, which, in the insurer's opinion, compliment the Government's policy to make a distinction between 'Incapacity Benefit' and 'Rehabilitation Support'.
In addition, UnumProvident recommends the following aims should also be incorporated into Government reform:
- Support should be given to employers to cover the costs of any workplace reasonable adjustment;
- There is scope for a greater role for not-for-profit and voluntary organisations, such as Job Brokers, to help those who have been out of the workforce for long periods;
- After a resource-intensive rehabilitation period, benefit payments should be conditional upon claimants actively seeking employment;
- The application of benefit eligibility criteria to claimants should take place in a matter of weeks rather than months;
- Family GPs should offer medical diagnosis only in terms of resolving current health problems, not capacity to work;
- It notes that a pilot employment adviser placement programme will be commenced and agree that once an individual has been approved fit for work, the decision on benefits should be referred to specially qualified employment-support staff operating either from local centres or via booked visits to GP's surgeries, the patient's home, or even better their place of work. However, an issue will be the availability of suitably qualified staff.
ENDS