Hello Paul,
I researched the Welfare Reform Green Paper - predecessor to the
Bill - when it came out. There was no firm estimate
(based on real data or statistics) of the number of disabled people
in the UK who are NOT capable of work. A figure of 1 million people
who 'could' work was made much of. As there are about 2.7
million incapacity claimants in all, this would suggest that
1.7.million are unable to work.
However, the figures for those who 'can' and who 'cannot'
work are really not based on anything. The Government was clear that
the 1 million figure was a 'belief' which then became an
'aspiration'. It was clear on reading the Green Paper that the 1
million figure was based on nothing at all, except, presumably, the
need to have a nice round number for political purposes. From the
development of the Green Paper I suspect it was simply plucked out
of the air. There certainly wasn't a real assessment of the
conditions experienced by disabled people, the numbers affected by
each condition, and how much the various conditions could be assumed
to affect capacity for work. Yes, I know this would have been medical
model but even medical model would have been preferable to some
politician suddenly deciding it's convenient for the government that
more disabled people work, and announcing, all of a sudden, that
they 'can' work.
So with regard to your question, no, there aren't clear and reliable
figures for the number of disabled people who cannot work. I think
it's important to say, also, that the climate has now shifted.
Formerly there was an assumption that if you have a condition -
and have passed an extremely rigorous test - you may be assumed to be
unable to work. Now there is an assumption that EVERYONE can work
with the right support. In this climate, I don't think we can expect
much official recognition, in terms of statistics, that there are
substantial numbers unable to work.
Hope that this is useful,
Anna Ravetz
________________End of message______________________
This Disability-Research Discussion list is managed by the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds (www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies). Enquiries about the list administratione should be sent to [log in to unmask]
Archives and tools are located at:
www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
|