Can-do approach for new benefit

A NEW era starts this week for Oldhamers on Incapacity Benefit — now a tenth of the working age population.

A new benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, came in to force yesterday, designed to give claimants support to improve their health, skills and look for work.

There are currently 13,000 Oldhamers claiming incapacity benefit — 9.8 per cent of the working age population.

The Government says the new allowance (ESA) is tailor made for the disabled and those with ill-health.

It is part of the Government’s radical welfare reforms, which aim to get one million claimants off incapacity benefits by 2015.

But campaigners say the new allowance is more than a pound less than Incapacity Benefit, and have criticised the assessments for work capability, calling them harsh.

New claimants who cannot work due to ill-health or disability will be able to claim ESA.

The Government says individuals who can work will be given the help and support they need to get back into employment. They say it will make sure that no-one is written off and consigned to a life on benefits.

The new assessment is designed to look at what someone can do — rather than what they can’t.

Those who are assessed as having the most severe disabilities or health conditions will go into the ‘support group’ and get more money — the poorest receiving a minimum of £102.10 per week.

Everyone else will go into the ‘work group.’

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, and Mossley MP, James Purnell, said: “In the 1990s, people were written off on Incapacity Benefit with no help to overcome their problems or support to get them into work.

“It is even more important during an economic downturn that we increase support — not take it away.”

Employment and Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support on the grounds of incapacity, for new claimants only.

Incapacity Benefit and Income Support continue for existing customers.

ESA claimants assessed as being able to prepare for work will have to take a back-to-work programme and be assigned a personal adviser to help them overcome barriers to work, including having a skills check and getting involved in work experience opportunities. Those identified as being in the ‘support group’ can engage with these back to work programmes on a voluntary basis.