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 ………… Local perspective – Ayrshire and Arran Employability Framework 2007 Provided information on range of local options: employability, benefits and New Deal programmes

Local - Ayrshire and Arran Unemployment figures 86.5% (March 2007) of clients (drugs) engaging with local Addiction Services were unemployed 74% (March 2007) of clients (alcohol) were unemployed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)…..