1st February 2006
Up to 1 million IB recipients could potentially return to work, say book’s authors
UnumProvident, the UK's leading disability insurer, has hosted the launch of a new book, The Scientific and Conceptual Basis of Incapacity Benefits, written by Professors Gordon Waddell and Mansel Aylward, both at the UnumProvident Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research, School of Psychology, Cardiff University. The launch event took place on the 31st January at the Savoy Hotel in London.
The book, written by two of the most influential opinion formers in the area of incapacity benefit, explores in detail the social issues surrounding the large rise in the number of Incapacity Benefit recipients over the last three decades and proposes a logical framework for tackling them. This includes addressing the way in which financial benefits should be structured, but also proposing a whole new approach to the overriding issue of workplace absence arising from sickness and disability.
The evening was introduced by Dr Peter Dewis, UnumProvident's Customer Care Director and followed by presentations from Bert Massie, Chair of the Disability Rights Commission and Kevin Fitzpatrick, DRC Commissioner for Wales who are eminently placed to comment on the issues raised in the book.
There was also a presentation from Lord Archie Kirkwood, former Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee.
UnumProvident has long campaigned for reforms of the Incapacity Benefit system and welcomed the proposals outlined in the recent IB Green Paper. The insurer believes that the system to date has been overly complex for claimants, too slow to respond to conditions when they are in their infancy and does not provide sufficient incentive for people seeking a sustainable return to work.
Commenting on the book launch, Professor Gordon Waddell said:
Incapacity benefits contain a fundamental paradox: claimants must demonstrate their incapacity for work to establish and maintain entitlement to benefits, but obtaining or returning to work depends on their capacity for work. Too often, long-term incapacity writes people off, creates negative expectations and welfare dependency, and traps people on benefits until retirement age.
Professor Mansel Aylward added:
Benefit reform should be led by more active support into work, tailored to suit individual needs and designed to overcome the health-related, personal and social barriers to work. Up to one million IB recipients could potentially take up or return to work, provided they were given the right opportunities, support and incentives.
UnumProvident's Dr. Peter Dewis said:
We are delighted to be involved with the launch of this book as rehabilitation is an issue that is core to UnumProvident's business proposition. As our own rehabilitation processes have shown, effective and early intervention can help a large number of people back to work and it is often important to look at the root of the absentee's situation, which may be affected by psychosocial factors, rather than simply treat the physical symptoms.
For further information or a copy of the executive summary of the book, please contact John Hutson on 01306 873471.
ENDS