§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people since 1995 who had been receiving invalidity benefit failed the work test when they applied for incapacity benefit. [78280]
§ Mr. BayleyWhen Incapacity Benefit was introduced in 1995, existing Invalidity Benefit recipients were transferred to the new benefit without being required to apply for it. However, with some exceptions, these cases were subject to the All Work Test, which is being applied on a rolling programme over a period of several years.
Information on the numbers of former Invalidity Benefit claimants who have failed the All Work Test since the introduction of Incapacity Benefit is not available for the period April 1995 to August 1996. From September 1996 to August 1998 inclusive, it is estimated that some 39,250 ex-Invalidity Benefit claimants have failed to satisfy the test. In addition, just under 4,000 others have had their claims terminated following failure to return the All Work Test questionnaire, or failure to attend a medical examination.