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Incapacity Benefit

Volume 494: debated on Monday 15 June 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) the East of England and (b) Suffolk claiming incapacity benefits had drug or drink dependency listed as their primary medical condition in each of the last five years. (273248)

Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. 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. For example, the decision for a customer claiming incapacity benefit on the grounds of alcohol and/or drug related conditions would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities in the Personal Capability Assessment.

The available information is in the following table.

The number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants who have alcoholism or drug abuse recorded as their main disabling condition

Suffolk

East of England

As at August each year

All

Alcoholism

Drug abuse

All

Alcoholism

Drug abuse

2004

21,370

180

190

180,870

2,110

2,470

2005

21,380

200

200

180,250

2,170

2,560

2006

21,280

220

200

178,890

2,280

2,590

2007

21,420

240

240

180,620

2,450

2,710

2008

21,440

260

290

181,040

2,610

2,870

Notes:

1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

2. Data for Suffolk refer to the county of Suffolk.

Source:

Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new claims for incapacity benefit have been made in each year since 1997; and what the average time taken between the date of a first claim for incapacity benefit and the date of first payment of that benefit has been in each such year. (278046)

[holding answer 8 June 2009]: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

Letter from Mel Groves:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking how many new claims for Incapacity Benefit have been made in each year since 1997; and what the average time taken between the date of a first claim for Incapacity Benefit and the date of first payment of that benefit has been in each year since 1997. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.

Please find attached at Annex 1 the number of Incapacity Benefit new claims made in each year since 2003. This is the date from which records are held. We do not hold management information relating to the period between the date of claim and payment. However, Jobcentre Plus's Average Actual Clearance Time (AACT) Target measures the average number of working days taken to process a claim for Incapacity Benefit. Incapacity Benefit AACT is calculated from the date a properly completed claim form is received by Jobcentre Plus to the date a decision is made. This information is also provided at Annex 1.

Annex A: Average actual clearance times (AACT) for incapacity benefit claims

Number of days

Incapacity benefit claims received

Incapacity benefit AACT

Target

2003-04

777,455

16.0

22

2004-05

730,590

17.0

22

2005-06

671,385

16.3

19

2006-07

692,802

15.9

18

2007-08

676,715

13.1

18

2008-09

481,076

13.3

15