(2) how many people have received (a) jobseeker’s allowance and (b) income support as a result of obesity in each of the last five years.
Having a condition of obesity does not confer entitlement to any benefit.
It is important to note that, where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is currently recorded. In light of this, the information provided cannot be taken as a robust indication of the underlying condition that results in entitlement to incapacity benefits.
Entitlement to disability living allowance is not dependent on a diagnosis or condition but relies instead on the care and/or mobility needs arising. In the case of someone with obesity, people with this recorded diagnosis may have other underlying physical or mental complications that have caused/exacerbated their obesity.
Information about the number of people receiving disability living allowance where the main disabling condition is recorded as obesity is not collated centrally at this level of detail.
For a person to qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, they have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. Entitlement for a customer claiming incapacity benefit on the grounds of obesity would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities in the personal capability assessment.
The available information for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance is in the table. Some of those people who claim incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance will also claim income support on grounds of incapacity.
As at August each year All Obesity 2004 2,817,010 1,780 2005 2,767,740 1,840 2006 2,724,980 1,910 2007 2,683,160 2,010 2008 2,632,000 2,130 Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Data are for GB and abroad. 3. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. 4. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. Therefore, the medical condition recorded on the incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits. 5. People claiming incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance may also qualify for income support on grounds of incapacity. 6. From 27 October 2008, employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit and income support for new claims only. information about employment and support allowance is not yet available. Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.
To qualify for jobseeker’s allowance, unemployed people must be available for and actively seeking work. They are also required to enter into a jobseeker’s agreement in which they agree the steps they will take to improve their chances of finding employment. Jobseekers generally have to be available immediately for any work and for a minimum of 40 hours each week. Where a person is unable to undertake any work, due to ill health, they will not be entitled to JSA and should claim an alternative benefit.