Independant review into drug abuse and other maladies in getting back to work

Independentreview into the impact on employment outcomes of drug or alcohol addiction

, and obesity: call for evidence

4

Introduction

The government has commissioned Professor Dame Carol Black 

to undertake an independent review into how best to support

 benefit claimants with potentially treatable conditions, such as

 obesity or addictions to drugs and alcohol, back into work.

The review will consider the evidence and provide the government with a thorough analysis of the options available to support more people suffering from long-term 

treatable conditions back into work.

This call for evidence will be one of several methods used to 

gather information. Evidence submitted will be used to inform a 

final independent report for the government.

Independent review: terms of reference

The purpose of the review is to consider how best to support those 

suffering from long-term yet treatable conditions back into work or to 

remain in work.

The review will primarily consider individuals with the following long-term 

yet treatable conditions: obesity, alcohol addiction and drug addiction. It

will consider the holistic needs of these individuals including the effects of 

multiple health conditions and other barriers to work.

The review aims to:

• Establish the role which such treatable conditions play in causing 

worklessness and estimate the associated cost to the Exchequer and the

economy

• Understand the characteristics (including overlapping conditions and 

other disadvantages) of individuals and the pathways they take through 

the healthcare and welfare systems and the roles played by providers and 

employers in these pathways

• Consider also the group(s) most at risk of becoming workless through 

treatable conditions in future and the support available to them, including

incentives on employers