§ 16. Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the effect on the Department's budget of the shift from invalidity benefit to incapacity benefit. [11384]
§ Mr. BurtIncapacity benefit was introduced in April 1995 in order to simplify the structure of provision for the sick and disabled and improve the targeting of resources on the long term sick. It is estimated that the introduction of incapacity benefit will reduce expenditure in the long term by around £2.3 billion per year.