77,650 on welfare because of addiction

Around 77,650 people are on welfare because they can’t work due to being addicted to alcohol or drugs, according to data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – but there could be more.

Official figures reveal that by the end of 2011, there were 34,410 people on incapacity benefit and 21,890 on employment support allowance (ESA) through drug or alcohol issues – 21,350 others are on disability living allowance.

The DWP said: “These figures are likely to undercount the total numbers of problematic drug users and alcohol misusers in the benefit system, as people with another medical condition or disability with drug use or alcohol misuse as a secondary factor will not be included.”

At the same time, current data shows that 55 per cent of new claimants who go through the new work capability assessment process are considered to be fit for some form of work and no longer eligible for ESA – the DWP said that 20 per cent could be capable of doing some work with the right help and support and a further 26 per cent of people will go directly into the support group, receiving unconditional financial support.

Employment minister Chris Grayling said: “It’s in everybody’s interest that we get the work capability assessment right first time. We have put a huge amount of effort into trying to improve our decision making. I want a much better understanding of why judges often do not agree – and particularly why they believe the people whose appeals they uphold really cannot return to any form of work. It’s obviously better to help people back to work if we possibly can, rather than leaving them stranded on benefits for the rest of their lives.”