Quarter of people claiming incapacity benefits in Exeter deemed 'fit to work'

Over a quarter of all people claiming incapacity benefits in Exeter have been re-assessed and found to be fit to work by the Department for Work and Pensions. Figures which show the outcome of 566,760 incapacity benefits re-assessments since 2010 have been released this week and show how 290 of 1,120 claimants in Exeter were found to be 'capable of working'. In the South West 11,820 of 41,580 (25%) of claimants assessed were found to be fit for work according to DWP, with Plymouth having the highest percentage of 31%. (See table below) Those people who have been assessed as capable of working are now no longer eligible for sickness benefits and will receive help from Jobcentre Plus and the Work Programme to find a job. The figures also show that in Exeter, of the 74% entitled to incapacity benefit, 26% will receive unconditional support as they are too ill or disabled to work, and 48% were placed in the Work Related Activity group, which means they are too ill or disabled to work but will be expected to take steps towards an eventual return to work when they are able. In November critics claimed the most vulnerable were at risk of losing much-needed support, however the Government insisted that people who are genuinely too sick to work will continue to receive unconditional support from the state and will not be expected to look for a job. Nationally more than 603,000 people have had their claims re-assessed since 2010 and almost 180,000 of them, around a third, were found to be fit to work. In Scotland 27% of claimants were considered fit to work, in Wales the figure was 35% and in England 32%. Click here to read the full report.

	Work Related Activity Group	Support Group	Either Group	Fit To Work	Any Outcome	Support Group	Either Group	Reassesed as fit to work
South West	19490	10270	29750	11820	41580	25%	72%	28%
Bath and North East Somerset	540	290	830	320	1150	25%	72%	28%
Bristol, City of	1970	1010	2980	1550	4530	22%	66%	34%
North Somerset	870	390	1260	640	1900	21%	66%	34%
South Gloucestershire	570	350	910	390	1300	27%	70%	30%
Cornwall	2210	1140	3350	1220	4580	25%	73%	27%
Plymouth	1500	620	2120	940	3050	20%	69%	31%
Torbay	840	450	1290	440	1730	26%	74%	26%
Bournemouth	920	480	1400	550	1950	24%	72%	28%
Poole	500	290	790	280	1070	27%	74%	26%
Swindon	770	350	1120	460	1580	22%	71%	29%
Wiltshire	1220	680	1900	640	2540	27%	75%	25%
East Devon	380	200	580	200	790	25%	74%	26%
Exeter	540	290	840	290	1120	26%	74%	26%
Mid Devon	230	130	360	150	510	25%	71%	29%
North Devon	350	200	550	240	790	26%	70%	30%
South Hams	260	150	400	120	520	28%	77%	23%
Teignbridge	420	270	690	230	920	29%	75%	25%
Torridge	250	160	410	140	540	29%	75%	25%
West Devon	160	100	250	110	360	27%	70%	30%
Christchurch	170	80	250	90	340	24%	75%	25%
East Dorset	180	120	300	90	390	30%	78%	22%
North Dorset	200	120	320	90	400	29%	79%	21%
Purbeck	120	60	190	60	250	25%	75%	25%
West Dorset	350	170	520	180	700	24%	74%	26%
Weymouth and Portland	380	180	560	220	780	23%	72%	28%
Cheltenham	370	210	580	240	820	25%	71%	29%
Cotswold	170	80	250	90	340	24%	75%	25%
Forest of Dean	260	160	420	190	600	26%	69%	31%
Gloucester	450	280	730	310	1040	27%	71%	29%
Stroud	300	190	490	180	680	28%	73%	27%
Tewkesbury	190	130	320	110	420	31%	75%	25%
Mendip	330	160	500	200	690	24%	71%	29%
Sedgemoor	450	250	690	290	980	25%	71%	29%
South Somerset	530	270	790	280	1070	25%	74%	26%
Taunton Deane	390	220	600	250	850	25%	71%	29%
West Somerset	150	70	230	70	300	25%	75%	25%