Hutton launches benefits shake-up

More than 85 per cent of incapacity benefit claimants could be expected to look for work under new reform plans, the pensions secretary has said.

Unveiling the Welfare Reform Bill, John Hutton outlined measures including the new employment and support allowance to replace incapacity benefit.

Around 2.7 million people currently claim incapacity benefit, and the government claims the new system will result in major savings.

Under the plans, more severely disabled people would receive more money and be under no obligation to work.

Those claimants assessed as able to work would have to take part in initiatives like training or counselling designed to get them into jobs, or risk losing part of their benefits.

The Department for Work and Pensions said a change to how claimants are assessed is necessary because there are more people off work due to depression, anxiety and stress than there were when the test was developed more than 20 years ago.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Hutton said: "What we want to do is to measure people's capacity to work more intelligently rather than simply measure their incapacity to work.

"We've got to see people as potential job seekers and help them to get back into the labour market."

He denied the overhaul would punish disabled people.

"I think you can be radical without being punitive," Hutton said.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he added: "It is not about saving money for the taxpayer, it is about giving literally millions of people in our society the first opportunity to get back into the labour market where most of them want to be."