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Irene Campbell

Irene Campbell. Ayrshire and Arran Alcohol and Drug Action Team. Stigma – Education, training and employment …. Local perspective National perspective Welfare reforms – Green Paper. Stigma – Education, training and employment ………….

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Irene Campbell

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  1. Irene Campbell Ayrshire and ArranAlcohol and Drug Action Team

  2. Stigma – Education, training and employment … • Local perspective • National perspective • Welfare reforms – Green Paper

  3. Stigma – Education, training and employment ………… • Local perspective – Ayrshire and Arran Employability Framework 2007 • Provided information on range of local options: employability, benefits and New Deal programmes

  4. Local - Ayrshire and ArranUnemployment figures • 86.5% (March 2007) of clients (drugs) engaging with local Addiction Services were unemployed • 74% (March 2007) of clients (alcohol) were unemployed

  5. National – unemployment figures • Unemployment rate among people entering drug treatment is 70% • National (UK) average 5.5% (July 2008)

  6. Employability – National • Workforce Plus • New Futures Fund • Fairer Scotland Fund • Employability programmes • Progress 2 Work • Pathways to Work • Voluntary Organisations • Local Colleges • Employers

  7. Stigma - Employability barriers • Attitudes of others e.g. employers, colleagues • Health issues – e.g. Hepatitis C • Homelessness • Methadone programme

  8. UK Benefits System • Complex • 3 main benefits – Jobseekers Allowance (JSA), Incapacity Benefit (IB) & Income Support (IS) • Other benefits – Disability Living Allowance, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit & Bereavement Benefit • Working Tax Credits

  9. Future Benefits System • Employment Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit & Income Support (paid on grounds of incapacity) - from 27 October 2008 • Simplification of benefits system in coming years

  10. No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility • “expecting problem drug users on benefits to take appropriate steps – such as drug treatment or employment provision – that support a return to work

  11. No one written off – reforming welfare to reward responsibility • Estimate – 240,000 people in England on benefits dependent on opiates or crack cocaine • Estimate - up to 100,000 problem drug users on benefits are not in drug treatment • Links to key objectives in Home Office Drug Strategy • First priority – to ensure that “we can effectively identify problem drug users in the benefits system

  12. No one written off – reforming welfare to reward responsibility • 400 people on JSA recorded as having a drug problem – less than 0.5% of total JSA claimants • 2% recorded on IB • Estimate – 7% of all JSA & IB recipients are problem drug users

  13. New approach to identification – proposals • Proposals to legislate to enable sharing of information between Jobcentre Plus (JCP) and the police, probation services and prisons • Explore options to share information between Prison Service and JCP to fast-track support for identified problem drug users • Inviting views – merits of changing benefit rules to require all applicants for benefit to declare whether they are addicted to heroin or crack cocaine

  14. Proposals - new approach • Requirement to see a drug treatment provider • Specialist Employment Adviser • Draw up a rehabilitation Plan • Possible introduction of Treatment Allowance whilst an individual stabilises their condition • Drug Co-ordinators within JCP

  15. Welfare Reforms – is a consistent UK approach possible? • Health – devolved • Social Security – reserved • No link to the Road to Recovery • ……Explore in consultation with the Scottish Executive (sic)…..

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