Benefit Numbers

The number of people on working-age benefits are down significantly since 1999, and it is churlish to not give the Govt credit for its role in having had the economic growth which has led to the fall in the number of unemployed. Unemployment has in fact been reducing since 1991, apart from during the Asian Crisis in 1997/98.

Against the fall in unemployment, has been a 46% increase in sickness beneficiaries since 1999 and a 47% increase in invalids beneficiaries.

Also remember when the PM promised a crackdown on “clusters” of beneficiary households such as the Kahuis? It turns out no work has been done at all in this area.

Also Lindsay Mitchell points out some (not all) of the decrease in benefit numbers has come about through “Where a beneficiary has moved from, for example, the DPB onto an In Work payment, with no change in working hours, they cease being a beneficiary”

Jordan Carter has a useful thread seeking ideas on how to stop the increase in sickness and invalids benefit.

But one thing I have to query is the assumption put forward by both Jordan and the Government that “an ageing population generates more sick and invalid people”. I dispute that is the reason. We are aging because people are living longer. Certainly in one’s final years you will have more sick and invalid people, but these benefits only apply up until 65, when super kicks in. One could argue a population living longer means there will be less people sick and invalid between the ages of 15 and 64.