October 2016

What: DWP and the Department of Health publish Improving Lives: The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper. Ill health is largely talked about in relation to absence from work and its cost to the economy. The green paper acknowledges that when ESA was introduced in 2008 it was assumed that less than 10 per cent of those having a WCA would go into the support group and that, as a result “1 million fewer people would be on incapacity benefits (Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance) by 2015”. But instead “over the last 12 months we have seen on average 50% of people going into the Support Group”.

Why significant: The figure of 10-11 per cent was found to be incorrect through FOIs (see 23 February 2013), yet is seemingly still being used as a reference point by DWP.