2010 Reforms
In 2010 the United Kingdom's new Coalition government announced that it intended to re-assess Incapacity Benefit claimants and transfer any who are fully capable of work to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA).
In April 2011 a rolling program began under which all existing Incapacity Benefit claimants are to be re-assessed using the WCA. Those who pass the assessment will be moved to ESA. Those who fail will be disqualified from both ESA and IB. They may be able to apply for JSA if they satisfy its conditions. This process is intended to be completed by March 2014.
During pilot projects which were carried out in Aberdeen and Burnley, results showed that 30% of existing Incapacity Benefit claimants were ineligible. A further 39% of claimants were considered ineligible, but requiring "extra help". The remaining 31% of claimants were found eligible, and as a result remained entitled to continuing support.
Read more about this topic: Incapacity Benefit
Famous quotes containing the word reforms:
“We shall one day learn to supersede politics by education. What we call our root-and-branch reforms of slavery, war, gambling, intemperance, is only medicating the symptoms. We must begin higher up, namely, in Education.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)