{"id":59729,"date":"2015-07-29T09:21:17","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T09:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=29e5f35cf0383fc83051a5fd3191a447"},"modified":"2015-07-29T09:21:17","modified_gmt":"2015-07-29T09:21:17","slug":"press-release-government-to-increase-support-for-benefit-claimants-with-addictions-and-treatable-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=59729","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Government to increase support for benefit claimants with addictions and treatable conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<p>Professor Dame Carol Black has started a review into how best to support benefit claimants with addictions and potentially treatable conditions back into work.<\/p>\n<p>The government believes that not enough is being done to ensure people get help for long-term, potentially treatable issues even though it may be the primary reason for being out of work.<\/p>\n<p>A manifesto commitment said that the government would review the current system and Dame Carol Black will now start an investigation into the issue. <\/p>\n<p>The review will consider the case for linking benefit entitlements to accepting appropriate treatment or support.<\/p>\n<p>Professor Dame Carol Black, an expert adviser on health and work, will lead the independent review which will for the first time:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>assess cost to taxpayers and the economy of worklessness resulting from obesity and addictions to drugs and alcohol<\/li>\n<li>assess the role factors such as these may be playing in causing or perpetuating worklessness <\/li>\n<li>explore the support provided by the existing benefit system and the incentives\/barriers created, identify groups most at risk, and assess how government, employers and others can support people back in to work<\/li>\n<li>assess the availability and cost-effectiveness of treatments and investigate work done internationally to ensure that benefit claimants get the help they need to get back to work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dame Carol has published a call for evidence today and will be consulting widely with experts and interested groups ahead of providing recommendations to government.<\/p>\n<p>The Prime Minister, David Cameron, said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Our one nation approach is about giving everyone the opportunity to improve their lives and for some that means dealing with those underlying health issues first and foremost.<\/p>\n<p>Whether it is drug or alcohol problems, or preventable conditions in terms of obesity, support and treatment will be there for you.<\/p>\n<p>And we must look at what we do when people simply say no thanks and refuse that help but expect taxpayers to carry on funding their benefits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">Over the next 5 years I want to see many more people coming off of sick benefit and into work and Carol Black will report back to me on how best to achieve that.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Professor Dame Carol Black said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Addiction to drugs and alcohol, and in some cases extreme obesity, can have a profoundly damaging impact on people\u2019s chances of taking up meaningful employment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">By reviewing the support that is available here and abroad to people with these conditions, it is my hope that we can present a thorough analysis of the options available to government. I am looking forward to discussing these issues with as many people as possible with an interest in this area.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Dame Carol\u2019s review will involve consulting with a wide range of health and addiction experts, who will be invited to provide evidence for the review.<\/p>\n<p>To support her work across government, the Department for Work and Pensions will set up a steering group with representatives from the Department for Health, Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and other groups from the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"call-for-evidence\">Call for evidence<\/h2>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p>Read the call for evidence \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/consultations\/drug-and-alcohol-addiction-and-obesity-effects-on-employment-outcomes-independent-review\">Drug and alcohol addiction, and obesity: effects on employment outcomes (independent review)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"contact-press-office\">Contact Press Office<\/h2>\n<p>Media enquiries for this press release \u2013 0203 267 5122<\/p>\n<div class=\"contact postal-address\" id=\"contact_827\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<h3>Press Office<\/h3>\n<div class=\"vcard contact-inner\">\n<p class=\"adr\">\n<span class=\"street-address\">Caxton House<br \/>\n<br \/>\nTothill Street<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"locality\">London<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"postal-code\">SW1H 9NA<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"email-url-number\">\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">London Press Office (national media and London area enquiries only \u2013 not questions about personal claims)<\/span><br \/>\n              020 3267 5144\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Out-of-hours (journalists only)<\/span><br \/>\n              076 59 108 883\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">England and Wales (local media enquiries)<\/span><br \/>\n              029 20 586 then 097 or 098 or 099\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Scotland (local media enquiries)<\/span><br \/>\n              0131 310 1122\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Follow <abbr title=\"Department for Work and Pensions\">DWP<\/abbr> on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Twitter \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/dwppressoffice\">www.twitter.com\/dwppressoffice<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>Facebook \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dwp\">www.facebook.com\/dwp<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>LinkedIn \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dwp\">www.linkedin.com\/company\/dwp<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>YouTube \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/dwp\">www.youtube.com\/dwp<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Review launched into supporting benefit claimants with addictions and potentially treatable conditions back into work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59729"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=59729"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59729\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=59729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=59729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=59729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}