New Perspectives on Health, Disability, Welfare and the Labour Market

More than two million people of working age in the UK are out of work and claiming ‘incapacity’ or disability benefits. Reducing the level of benefit claiming among those with health limitations has been a priority for successive governments, but this book argues that current policy fails to reflect the evidence that people on long-term disability benefits face a complex combination of barriers to work and social inclusion. There is a need for continuing inter-disciplinary research on the nature of the ‘disability benefits problem’ and the efficacy of current policy solutions and public services. This book brings together researchers from the fields of social policy, economics, sociology and clinical psychology. It offers new evidence on the inter-related problems faced by disability claimants, and identifies important lessons for policy.