30 November 2004 - Publication of DWP research report and in-house administrative data analyses: Incapacity Benefit Reforms - Pathways to Work Pilots
Research published today by DWP examines the role of Incapacity Benefit Personal Advisers (IBPAs) within the Incapacity Benefit Reforms, ‘Pathways to Work’ Pilots. This qualitative research examines perspectives and experiences and the factors which influence advisers’ decisions when working with IB customers.
This is part of a comprehensive programme of evaluation; a further report will look at customer experiences directly.
In addition to this, in-house analysis of IB Reforms administrative data provides an early indication of the performance of the pilots. It examines the numbers of IB customers entering the pilots, the numbers of job entries and early evidence on benefit off-flow rates. Fuller details on the administrative data analyses can be found in the full analytical release.
The main findings of the published research are:
Personal Adviser role within Incapacity Benefit Reforms
IBPAs saw that their role was to provide appropriate help and support to overcome barriers preventing customers returning to work. Advisers were positive about the reforms, describing how they had the flexibility and resources (via the Choices Package) to work with customers which they found was rewarding. There were also significant challenges facing PAs. The role could be emotionally draining and IBPAs could feel out of their depth on occasions.
Positive reactions reported from customers
- IBPAs described how they could often overcome initially negative reactions from customers through direct contact prior to the Work Focused Interview.
- Where IBPAs had been in contact with customers attending the Condition Management Programme (CMP) provision the feedback had been encouraging, with IBPAs referring to customers being more talkative in interviews and confident about their future.
- And IBPAs unanimously reported a positive reaction to the Return to Work Credit (RTWC).
- However, some IBPAs said that there were customers they had not moved forward at all.
- Personal Adviser confidence increased through training and links with local CMP providers.
- IBPAs were increasingly knowledgeable about and confident in referring to CMP. A regular CMP presence in Jobcentres seemed to be effective in building links and allowing opportunities to jointly discuss cases and determine the suitability of the programme for individual customers.
- An earlier study reported on reactions to the intensive training which IBPAs found had resulted in: improved interviewing skills, greater confidence to work with IB customers, the ability to introduce the reforms and the concept of work in a positive way
Work focus and mandatory meetings
IBPAs saw their management of the Work Focused Interview process as critical to the success of the IB Reforms. IBPAs typically saw helping a customer to overcome some of the key barriers to work as equally important and valid as moving a customer immediately into work.
Within this mandatory process IBPAs were responsive to individual customers’ needs in determining when and how the issue of returning to work was raised and the pattern and timing of interviews. Typically, customers with the most serious or severe conditions had their interview waived and customers who were undergoing treatment, awaiting results or had a temporary health condition would have their interview deferred.
The main findings of the in-house data analyses are:
- Over 58,000 customers have entered the IB Reforms Pilots since the Phase 1 pilots were launched in October 2003. Around 10 per cent of starts have come from existing customers, and the remainder from those making new or repeat claims.
The early evidence on the performance of the IB Reforms Pilots is very encouraging:
- There are early indications of an increase of between 8 and 10 percentage points in off-flows from incapacity benefits in the first of phase pilots after four months of the claim, which is in excess of expectations over the lifetime of the pilots.
- There have been over 5,500 job entries obtained from IB Reform Pilot customers1 . The number of Jobcentre Plus recorded job entries for sick and disabled customers in the pilot districts has doubled compared with the same period last year.
- Following the initial WFI after 8 weeks, between 15 and 20 per cent of customers take up elements of the Choices Package, with over 10 per cent of customers joining NDDP. This compares to 4 per cent of customers joining NDDP in Jobcentre Plus Pathfinder offices and 2 per cent nationally.
[1] This does not include customers who leave IB and enter employment without any direct help or intervention from Jobcentre Plus.
Notes for editors
- Incapacity Benefit Reforms – the Personal Adviser Role and Practices (Research report 212) is published on 30th November 2004.
- The research consisted of focus groups and depth interviews with IB Personal Advisers and Work Psychologists within the first phase pilot areas. This research took place in between April and June 2004. A second wave of research with PAs in all pilot areas will take place in early 2005. The research was conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (Natcen), the Policy Studies Institute (PSI) and the Social Policy Research Unit at York University (SPRU). The reports authors were Sarah Dickens, Alice Mowlam and Kandy Woodfield from Natcen.
- This research is part of a comprehensive evaluation of the IB Reforms, ‘Pathways to Work’ pilots being conducted by a consortium led by the Policy Studies Institute. The first evaluation report Incapacity Benefit Reforms – Early Findings from Qualitative Research (Research Report 202), was published in September 2004.
- Details about the Pathways to Work pilots are available in the DWP Press release dated 11th October 2004.
- The full press release and administrative data analysis is available on the website
Annex A - Analysis of IB Reforms Administrative Data (120KB)
Press office: 020 7238 0866
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Public enquiries: 020 7712 2171
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk