government plans to reduce the granting of long-term disability (incapacity benefit ). Therefore, more than half a million people currently receiving pensions will receive letters of invitation to the medical commission, which is to determine their continued ability to work.
is part the new government's plan, which aims to reduce the number of pensioners. This program is expected to last until 2014. already been carried out pilot schemes in Burnley and Aberdeen. They showed that 30% of surveyed retirees are able to work.
Opponent of the new plan are the charities for the disabled. In their opinion, the tests are not carried out fairly. Minister of Labour and Social Security ( Minister of Work and Pensions ) Chris Grayling explains: "I wish to assure all who are worried about a new program that will be introduced only in order to help those who can return to work. Our goal is not to force people to re-enter employment, but if you do not do performance evaluations of these people, we are not able to determine which ones have the potential to return to work and never will be able to help them. "
The pilot program also has identified an additional 39% of people who could not return to work, but with adequate services. The new plan provides for the classification of studied three groups of people. Persons who are unable to resume work to pass the pension benefits for job seekers ( Jobseeker's Allowance). Pensioners who are not really able to take the highest rate of employment will receive benefits and will have no obligation to look for work. contrast, people who for a long time not worked, and were considered able to work in certain professions are classified as "work-related activity group". People in this group will be required to prepare them for return to work through meetings with advisors.
Pensioners are afraid that doctors decide on the classification of the relevant groups of pensioners will be under strong pressure from the government, so that they would try to qualify as many people as capable of work, and grant them unemployment benefits than the pension. Preliminary estimates indicate that approximately 70% of pensioners have the potential to allow them to be employed. But Grayling in his statement to the BBC denied that the government has determined in advance how much people have to go back to work. but acknowledged that the current aid claimants in the re-commencement of employment will bring significant savings to taxpayers, but the government does not set a specific amount, which allegedly sought. Minister also said that the medical commission is just one of the factors that helps determine whether a person is able to return to work. Greater attention will be given an expert opinion, ie, a general practitioner or medical consultant. test determining the capacity to work has changed last year after a wave of criticism, particularly from charities. main objection was to focus on physical fitness of the person, and thereby ignoring the mental state. addition, harbored no objections adequate assistance in preparing for the test.
worth noting that the program is not directed against persons with disabilities or serious injury, the main objective is to cut government benefits to persons on a disability pension for reasons of alcohol, drugs, or obesity.
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