13,500 on incapacity benefit

Date published: 18/03/2008

13,500 Rochdalians of working age are claiming incapacity benefits, according to the GMB union.

This means 10.6% of the potential working population in the borough will be required to attend work capability assessments following new rules announced in last week’s budget.

New and existing claimants will be required to undergo a tough new eligibility test from 2010.

Rochdale, with a total working age population of 127,700, is 7th in a league table of the North-West with Knowsley, Liverpool, Blackpool and Salford topping the list.

Paul McCarthy, GMB regional secretary for the North-West, said: “The Government policy that those on incapacity benefit must attend work capability assessments is based on the false notion that the high levels of claimants in some areas is due to the fact that these people do not want to work.

“It needs to face up to the fact that in today’s labour market able-bodied and fully fit workers get jobs ahead of those who are disabled and those not fully fit.”