Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Employment & Support Allowance, the Work Programme and recommendations for a new system of support

'Beyond the Barriers: Employment & Support Allowance, the Work Programme and recommendations for a new system of support' was published on Wednesday 9th April 2014.

It demonstrates that the policy status quo presents an unforgiving environment for thousands of disabled people across the UK.

Backlogs are increasing, assessment staff are demoralised, jobcentres are stretched to breaking point and work providers are pulling out of the Work Programme.

Yet, for all this, the effect of reform on overall Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) numbers has been negligible and this needs to change.

Few of the changes recommended in this report could happen overnight and all will take real political will to achieve.

But however perfect any system that is design could be, if attitudes don’t change radically, then reform of any kind will fail.

In the UK, we currently have a system which denies, restricts, judges and harms, no new descriptors or alternative schemes can address that.

If we create a system designed only to catch cheats, and ignore the remaining 99.7% of sick and disabled people who urgently need access to the best possible solutions.

Indeed, the current reforms have not only failed, but have often made the situation worse.

Fewer sick and disabled people currently find work than under the previous system.

Employment & Support Allowance (ESA) and Work Capability Assessments (WCA) have become politically toxic.

There should be no question of continuing down this path if we truly intend to do the best we possibly can for those who can work whilst causing as little stress and suffering to those who cannot.

Instead we must be radical and ambitious and must build a system hand in hand with the very people who will use it, while turning preconceived ideas of reform upside down.

Our intent must always be to inspire and facilitate, not to demean or restrict and must move from sanction to incentive, from judgement to trust, from fear to aspiration.

We all must treat people as individuals, not numbers on a balance sheet and realise that sick and disabled people are the victims of social security fraud, not the perpetrators.

And accept that people overwhelmingly tend to do their best, try as hard as they are able, and continually strive to achieve their full potential, but this is clearly not the case.

In business, a good manager is often able to inspire their workforce, to get the very best from them they can. In contrast, a bad manager is one who institutes a climate of fear and resentment.

As we are all managers of an advanced, compassionate democracy, it is time we embraced a new understanding of the link between sickness, disability and work.

The international evidence is clear: where systems are based on encouragement, respect and individual support, outcomes are better.

Job starts are more sustained and fraud remains low.

A system that works for sick and disabled people, while also creating value for taxpayers, need not be a contradiction in terms.

But to achieve it, we must first be prepared to listen!

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