New Labour, Welfare Reform and Conditionality: Pathways to Work for Incapacity Benefit Claimants Aimee Grant Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, 2011 New Labour, Welfare Reform and Conditionality: Pathways to Work for Incapacity Benefit Claimants Aimee Grant Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, 2011 UMI Number: U5670B7 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U567037 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Abstract This thesis is an exploration of New Labour’s approach to Incapacity Benefit (IB) claimants, and is primarily concerned with ‘Pathways to Work, a policy piloted in 2002 and rolled out nationally in 2007. Pathways, as it is commonly referred to, introduced a requirement for new IB claimants to attend compulsory Work Focused Interviews (WFIs) with a Jobcentre Plus Advisor. Furthermore, the claimants were to be offered support in the form of a range of voluntary work-focused initiatives. The most innovative of these was the Condition Management Programme (CMP), which was funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but delivered by the NHS, primarily by Occupational Therapists. A non-traditional approach to the thesis has been adopted. The prologue comprises two complete stories of how IB claimants have experienced the policy change. Following this, an exploration of the way in which the unemployed and long-term sick have been supported by the state since 1834 provides the context for New Labour’s policy change. However, the literature reviewed shows that those who implement policy, in this instance Jobcentre Plus Advisors, have considerable discretion, which can impact on how claimants experience the policy (see for example Lipsky, 1980). Consequently, the research used a qualitative mixed methods design in order to find out how Jobcentre Plus Advisors, Condition Management Programme clinical staff, and IB claimants experienced the policy change. The research design used semi-structured interviews, observation and documentary analysis. The empirical basis of the thesis is a focus upon three substantive areas: IB claimants’ routes on to IB; experiences of compulsory Work Focused Interviews with Jobcentre Plus Advisors; and experiences of the Condition Management Programme each of these areas will be covered within a chapter. Within the three empirical chapters, a review of selected literature occurs before presenting the original findings alongside existing research. The discussion returns to the issues of policy intention, policy implementation and claimant engagement. Within the discussion, further exploration of original data occurs. Finally, the conclusion recognises that the policy context in this area has already significantly shifted since the time of the field work (2008). The increasing conditionality attached to claiming IB will be discussed alongside recommendations for policy and further research. Acknowledgments This thesis would not have been possible without the help of a number of people. Within the university my supervisors, Mark Drakeford and Gareth Williams, have given enormous amounts of support, and provided essential contacts to facilitate access to the field. Likewise, Jonathan Scourfield and Sara Delamont have provided insightful comments on drafts of chapters. Finally, Rachel and Lee have provided much needed perspective in times of writer’s block. Without the agreement of the managers, and the cooperation of the frontline staff, of Jobcentre Plus and the Condition Management Programme, the research could not have occurred. Furthermore, the staff and managers of the Housing Associations and Citizens Advice Bureau involved deserve a special mention for supporting research that was going to be of no direct benefit to them. Most importantly, thanks go to all of the Incapacity Benefit claimants who took part in the research, allowing me access to some of the most personal areas of their lives. Declaration This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. S igned ................................................... Date .. STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. S igned ................................................. Date ... ^ \ . ^ . \ . 9 ^.Q.\V... STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by footnotes giving explicit references. S igned ................................................. D a te 5 53 A \ ... STATEMENT 3 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed .................................................. D a te ..... Contents Chapter Outline Prologue: Two stories of attending the Condition 1 Management Programme Chapter 1: Introduction 10 Chapter 2 : Social Security, the Long-term 18 Sick and Discretion Chapter 3: Research Design 65 Chapter 4: Becoming Incapacitated 111 Chapter 5: Compulsory Work Focused Interviews 161 Chapter 6 : The Condition Management Programme 208 Chapter 7: Morality, Discretion and Pathways to Work 257 Chapter 8 : Conclusion 280 Detailed Contents New Labour, Welfare Reform and Conditionality: ............................................ 1 Pathways to Work for Incapacity Benefit Claimants ......................................... 1 Abstract...................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgments .................................................................................................3 Declaration .............................................................................................................4 Contents ..................................................................................................................5 Chapter Outline ................................................................................................. 5 Detailed Contents ..............................................................................................5 List of Tables and figures .............................................................................. 14 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................15 Prologue: Two stories of attending the Condition Management Programme 1 0.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................1 0.2 Paul’s story ..................................................................................................... 2 0.3 Jo’s story ..........................................................................................................6 Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................... 10 1.1 The significance of the research ...............................................................13 1.2 Overview of the thesis ............................................................................... Chapter 2: Social Security, the Long-term sick and Discretion .................... 18 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 2.2 Policy responses to unemployment and sickness ....................................19 2.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................19 2.2.2 The Poor Laws ......................................................................................20 2.2.3 Beyond the Poor Laws .........................................................................21 2.2.4 Welfare consensus? 1945-1979 ......................................................... 23 2.2.5 The Conservative Governments 1979-1997 ......................................25 2.2.6 The New Labour Governments 1997-2010 ........................................28 2.3 The Convergence of policy for unemployment and sickness .................30 2.3.1 Pathways to Work (2002) .................................................................... 30 Table 2.1 Benefits available for sick and disabled workers at the time of the research ................................................................................................. 34 2.3.2 Medical Assessments...........................................................................35 2.4 Stigma and Social Security .........................................................................36 2.5 The administration and implementation of policy: discretion ..................38 2.5.1 Introduction .............................................................................................39 2.5.2 The use