Government finally orders research into why disability benefit numbers are rising, as concerns grow over cuts

The government has finally ordered research into the reasons behind what it claims is a “spiralling” increase in the number of people claiming out-of-work disability benefits.

The pledge to identify the “characteristics and drivers of rising levels of inactivity and ill health” is included in the terms of reference for the Keep Britain Working review, which was announced in November’s Get Britain Working white paper and launched on Friday.

Politicians and their supporters in the media and thinktanks have spent much of the last two years calling for action to address rising spending on out-of-work disability benefits, but without a similar call for research into the reasons for that increase.

Many disabled activists and researchers believe any rise is likely to be at least partly due to rising levels of ill-health and lengthening NHS waiting-lists since the start of the pandemic. 

A DWP spokesperson told Disability News Service (DNS) yesterday (Wednesday) that ministers believed the research was an “important” step forward, and that it was the first time DWP had commissioned such research via an independent review.

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, repeated the government’s pledge to deliver “fundamental reform of our welfare system” yesterday in a major speech on her plans to “kickstart economic growth”.

Her brief comments will add to concerns that the government is planning significant cuts to spending, as she said the government was “looking at areas that have been ducked for too long, like the rising cost of health and disability benefits”.

She said the government’s plans for reform of disability benefits would be published in a green paper before the spring statement, which itself is due to take place on Wednesday 26 March.

The concerns about potential cuts will not have been eased by a response from Sir Keir Starmer in yesterday’s prime minister’s questions.

Debbie Abrahams, Labour’s chair of the Commons work and pensions committee, had asked him about “speculation that the £3 billion of savings to be found from the social security budget may impact on… disability benefits” and to ease disabled people’s concerns.

But in his response, the prime minister ignored the question about cuts to benefits and instead said the government’s approach to social security would “ensure that work is accessible to as many people as possible, as a route out of poverty”.

Although the government has now commissioned research into the reasons behind the increase in the number of disabled people claiming out-of-work disability benefits, it is not clear if that will be completed in time for the green paper, while the research will not look at the reasons for increased spending on personal independence payment (PIP).

Any research is long overdue. In September 2023, DWP admitted to DNS that it “does not have specific research on this matter”, in response to a freedom of information request seeking any research it had carried out into the reasons for an increase in spending on out-of-work disability benefits.

Meanwhile, DNS is currently awaiting the response to an updated request that also seeks any DWP research carried out into the reasons for any increased spending on PIP.

The Keep Britain Working review is being led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, former chair of John Lewis Partnership and of the British Retail Consortium, and will focus on understanding what employers and government can do “to increase the recruitment, retention and return to work of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions”.

Disability Rights UK (DR UK) welcomed the review’s focus on how employers can remove the barriers to work facing disabled people, but it called for disabled people to be involved in the review “at every level and at every stage”.

Kamran Mallick, DR UK’s chief executive, said: “The launch of the Keep Britain Working review acknowledges the significant challenges faced by disabled people and those with long-term health conditions in accessing and remaining in employment.”

But he said: “This review must lead to concrete action and genuine co-design with disabled people to ensure that employment support is accessible and effective. 

“This means that disabled people’s organisations (DPOs) must be involved in all aspects of the review, from sitting on the advisory group to giving evidence and being consulted on early findings. 

“Our lived experience needs to be at the heart of this review.

“This review must lead to real change to break down the barriers that have for so long excluded disabled people from the workplace and broader society and ensure no one is left behind.”

It is not yet clear if a panel set up to support Sir Charlie’s work will include any disabled members, but DWP claimed this week that the review had already engaged with some disabled people’s organisation and promised that it would ensure disabled people’s voices were at its centre.

Dan White, DR UK’s policy and campaigns officer, warned that the government had spoken frequently in recent months about the number of disabled people who were “economically inactive”, and much of this had been “unhelpful, negative and scaremongering”.

He said: “Forcing work upon people who are disabled, or sick, is unacceptable and should not be a policy priority. 

“The government’s first focus should be on investment in public services such as education, health and social care and fixing the inaccessibility of housing, transport and employment; then we can have the discussion of assisting those who can work into work.

“Co-operation with DPOs is essential on this, as we know in-work poverty continues and there remains a huge disability pay gap and issues with the Access to Work scheme.”

Disabled researcher Stef Benstead, author of Second Class Citizens, which describes the harm caused to disabled people by a decade of cuts and reforms, said: “Labour have had 14 years in opposition to carry out literature reviews on the wealth of material that is available on the topic of what employers can do to enable sick or disabled people to participate in paid work. 

“It is disappointing that they wait until now to investigate this matter, and intend to make changes to sickness benefits before hearing from this investigation. 

“The question of ‘spiralling levels of inactivity’ is deeply important (not least, whether or not there is such a spiral), and again, review of the literature would be helpful here. 

“This includes the issue of ‘toxic jobs’, the intensification of work, and the loss of ‘light jobs’. 

“It also includes consideration of the NHS and how the UK compares to other countries on key factors like doctors and hospital beds per capita. 

“But it does not appear that Mayfield’s work is going to include these economy-wide, decades-long factors.”

Sir Charlie made it clear on Friday that he had already begun work on his review. 

But he has already alarmed some disabled people with his language.

During a visit to an employer with work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall, he praised the company for its commitment “to figuring out how can you get people who have got work-limiting conditions into work”, before again referring to “people who have got work-limiting conditions”.

Dr Jay Watts said on X/Twitter: “Framing disability as a ‘work-limiting condition’ is offensive and demeaning.”

Another disabled activist asked Sir Charlie: “‘Work limiting conditions’? 

“How about you treat disabled people as human beings rather than using ableist language where our worth is defined through working.” 

DWP defended his use of ‘work-limiting conditions’ and said it was a widely-recognised term used by the Office for National Statistics in its Labour Force Survey, and by the charity The Health Foundation, and that Sir Charlie had been referring to people who can work but have unfairly faced disability-related barriers to employment due to a lack of support.

The review will report in the autumn.

Credit for this article goes to the Disability News Service