Research

This Demos report examines how seven countries assess capability for work and proposes "real-life assessment" as an alternative to the Work Capability Assessment. The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) – which assesses eligibility for the main out-of-work disability benefit, Employment and Support Allowance – is widely seen to be failing. Part of the problem is how the assessments have been delivered, but even after Atos is replaced by Maximus, the root problems of the WCA will remain: the WCA simply does not assess claimants’ capability for work.

This NDTi report looks at the effectiveness of commissioning of supported employment services. It finds significant variability in the cost of employment support services and costs per job outcome achieved that cannot be explained by factors such as complexity of people’s disability or size of service. The study therefore concludes that variable cost and outcomes is primarily explained by one or both of the service model being used and the strategic organisational actions taken.

This NDTi research looks at the cost effectiveness of local authority and NHS investment in employment supports for people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems. The initial key findings include that: * After a period of increased spend, investment in supporting people into paid work appears to have declined in 2012/13 * Many commissioners do not have access to the data they need on services they commission to ensure they are achieving best value for money * There appears to be limited focus on the use of personal budgets to support people into paid work.