§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on developments over the last three years in Incapacity Benefit, including(a) the total number of claimants by quarter, (b) the number of appeals and (c) changes in the qualification criteria. [116487]
§ Mr. BayleyInformation on numbers of claims and appeals is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the tables. There have been no changes to the qualification criteria for Incapacity Benefit in the last three years.
We are committed to removing barriers to work. We have introduced the New Deal for Disabled People, funded by £195 million from the Windfall Tax, which is helping disabled people to move into, or remain in, work. From October 1998 we introduced a new rule allowing people who leave incapacity benefits for work to return to their old rate of benefit if they have to stop working and make a reclaim within a year, and we removed the 16 hours a week restriction on voluntary work. In April 1999 we raised the limit on earnings for those doing therapeutic work from £48.00 to £58.00 a week. We are also currently piloting a range of measures to help sick and disabled people to return to work and from next month those on incapacity benefits will be able to take part in Work Trials or Work Placements without losing their benefit entitlement.
From 3 April the All Work Test for incapacity benefits will be replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment, which will focus not just on what people cannot do but also on what they are able to do despite their illness or 163W disability; this will help Personal Advisers give people the assistance they need to return to work where that is what they want to do. In the coming year we will also be mailing initiatives to ensure regular contact with people on incapacity benefits to check their circumstances, give benefits advice and offer assistance with a return to work.
From April 2001, we will introduce further changes. The contribution conditions for Incapacity Benefit will be modernised to ensure a closer link between benefit entitlement and recent work; some account will be taken of occupational and personal pensions, to reduce duplicate provision between the State and employers or individuals; and people disabled in youth, who have never had the opportunity to work, will be able to qualify for Incapacity Benefit without having made National Insurance contributions.
Number of claims to Incapacity Benefit in each quarter ending Number 30 November 1996 276,343 28 February 1997 269,062 31 May 1997 258,985 31 August 1997 255,657 30 November 1997 259,671 28 February 1998 238,514 31 May 1998 226,137 31 August 1998 232,210 30 November 1998 242,930 28 February 1999 224,952 31 May 1999 230,059 31 August 1999 230,503 Note:
Includes claims that are subsequently withdrawn and accident declarations (which are made in case a claim to benefit becomes necessary at a later date as a result of an industrial accident).
Source:
100 per cent, clerical count.
Number of appeals Number 1996 62,303 1997 76,132 1998 79,800 Sources:
Data up to July 1997—100 per cent, extract from ITS computerised records
Data from August 1997—100 per cent, download from the Generic Appeals Processing System (GAPS)