Research and Statistics

The impact of Pathways to Work

by Helen Bewley, Richard Dorsett and Getinet Haile

The Pathways to Work package of reforms is aimed at encouraging employment among people claiming incapacity benefits. First introduced on a pilot basis in October 2003, it has since expanded to cover 40 per cent of the country by December 2006, with national roll-out scheduled for completion in 2008. Under Pathways, most new incapacity benefits claimants must attend a series of Work Focused Interviews. Participants become eligible for increased financial and non-financial support which aims to encourage a move into paid employment.

This report forms part of the ongoing evaluation of Pathways. It focuses on the overall impact of Pathways on employment, earnings, receipt of incapacity benefits, and a potential indicator of the extent to which individuals' health affects their everyday activities. The analysis was undertaken by researchers at the Policy Studies Institute and is based on survey data collected by the National Centre for Social Research and administrative records on benefits receipt provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

An earlier report (DWP Research Report no. 354) produced as part of this evaluation considered the effect of Pathways on a cohort of individuals enquiring about incapacity benefits shortly after its introduction. The current report adds to these early findings in three ways:

  • the results relate to a cohort of individuals making an incapacity benefits claim some time after Pathways was introduced and had had time to settle down;
  • longer term results are obtained - most outcomes relate to a period of about one and a half years after the start of the claim;
  • the results are based on both survey and administrative data. The use of administrative data allows the credibility of the evaluation approach to be investigated.

    June 2007 108 pages 297x210mm

    ISBN 978 1 84712 216 2

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