Forum Brief: Employment benefits

Ministers are set to spend up to £800 million a year on a programme to encourage those on incapacity benefits back to work, in the latest attempt to boost employment levels.

Government Response: Department for Work and Pensions

Work and pensions secretary Andrew Smith said: "There are 2.7 million people claiming incapacity benefits but nine out of ten people who go on to these benefits expect to get back to work again.