§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances incapacity benefit is means tested; and whether the incapacity benefit is reduced if a man aged 61 has an occupational pension. [76924]
§ Mr. Nicholas BrownIncapacity Benefit exists to provide a measure of earnings replacement for people of working age who are incapable of work. Where a person is duplicating this provision the law provides for this to be taken into account.
If a person claiming Incapacity Benefit receives an occupational pension, personal pension or payments through a permanent health insurance scheme of £85 a week or more, their Incapacity Benefit is reduced by half the amount which exceeds £85. Only people making new claims from 6 April 2001 are affected by the new rules.
Focus Group Research since 1 June 2001 Project Title Topics covered Organisation undertaking the research Total Cost Research published on Department's website? Employment Service Implementation Training and guidance BMRB and Insite £19,830 No Review of the Job Entry Target The Jobcentre Plus Job Entry Target—focus groups with staff Policy Research Institute £24,105 No Good Practice in Work Preparation Purpose and function of Work preparation: Social Policy Research Unit £72,288 Yes Evaluation of the permitted work rules for Incapacity Benefit claimants The use of the new arrangements by staff who apply them or refer to them in their work. Institute for Employment Studies £199,000 Research commissioned in Summer 2002, findings to be published in 2004 Incapacity Benefits & Work Incentives Client experiences of a series of work incentive measures. Social Policy Research Unit £47,025 Yes The Role of GPs in Sickness Certification The knowledge, attitudes and experiences of GPs acting as certifying medical practitioners. National Center for Social Research £73,333 Yes Diversity in Disability To provide a greater understanding of the life experiences of disabled men and women from different minority ethnic groups. National Center for Social Research £136,798 Research to be published early 2003 Social Fund use amongst older people in Britain To provide an understanding of the reasons for take-up and non-take-up among eligible older people. Personal Finance Research Center (PFRC), University of Bristol £55,230 Yes Attitudes to Electronic Service Delivery Use of the internet and computers Andrew Irving Associates £46,000 The project is ongoing and will be published on the website when complete Investigating Low Labour Market Participation among Lone Parents in London. Six workshops conducted with lone parent "experts" such as NDLP advisers in London, Merseyside and Strathclyde. The National Center for Social Research. £22,938 Forthcoming research to be published 2002–2003 Partners of non JSA benefit recipients Attitudes and barriers to work ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd. £52,385 Yes Reforming Services for Pensioners: Perceptions of The Pension Service Proposed Business Model for 2006 Among Today's Pensioners Customers' views of what they would like to see from The Pension Service in the future. Forum Qualitative £ 34,400 No, customer testing for internal use.