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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/10/younger-disability-pension-recipients-capacity-to-work-to-be-scrutinised
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| Younger disability pension recipients' capacity to work to be scrutinised | Younger disability pension recipients' capacity to work to be scrutinised |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Younger people receiving the disability support pension are set to have their ability to work reviewed, under measures to rein in the rising cost of social security payments. | Younger people receiving the disability support pension are set to have their ability to work reviewed, under measures to rein in the rising cost of social security payments. |
| An announcement to this effect is expected to be made in Tuesday’s budget, as another poll shows support for the government is falling because of its flagged budget cuts and policies. | |
| About 30,000 DSP recipients under 35 could be affected, media reports said on Saturday. | |
| The measure is in line with the National Commission of Audit’s report, which said a risk-management approach should be taken in assessing those DSP recipients with the greatest potential for being able to work. | The measure is in line with the National Commission of Audit’s report, which said a risk-management approach should be taken in assessing those DSP recipients with the greatest potential for being able to work. |
| “Examples could include younger people under the age of 35, and recipients who currently earn some employment income,” the report said. | “Examples could include younger people under the age of 35, and recipients who currently earn some employment income,” the report said. |
| Alan Tudge, a Liberal MP and the parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, Tony Abbott, said the DSP was growing rapidly. There were more than 800,000 recipients and tens of thousands more people were assessed as disabled every year, he said. | Alan Tudge, a Liberal MP and the parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, Tony Abbott, said the DSP was growing rapidly. There were more than 800,000 recipients and tens of thousands more people were assessed as disabled every year, he said. |
| “What we would like to do is to ensure that those who are able to work are encouraged to do so,” he told Sky News. | “What we would like to do is to ensure that those who are able to work are encouraged to do so,” he told Sky News. |
| “At the moment the system tends to put a person on the disability support pension and then … forget and leave them for a very long time, even though there might be a willingness, a desire, and a capacity to at least make some contribution.” | “At the moment the system tends to put a person on the disability support pension and then … forget and leave them for a very long time, even though there might be a willingness, a desire, and a capacity to at least make some contribution.” |
| A Labor frontbencher, Matt Thistlethwaite, said that, in government, Labor had introduced a number of reforms designed to get those on the DSP into the workplace. That aimed to ensure there was support for those who wanted to work, and the necessary home support via the National Disability Insurance Scheme, he said. | A Labor frontbencher, Matt Thistlethwaite, said that, in government, Labor had introduced a number of reforms designed to get those on the DSP into the workplace. That aimed to ensure there was support for those who wanted to work, and the necessary home support via the National Disability Insurance Scheme, he said. |
| “The Commission of Audit recommendations are to slow down the rollout of the NDIS,” he told Sky. “If that is the approach the Abbott government is going to take, then that's not the way we should be supporting people with disabilities, particularly encouraging them into work.” | “The Commission of Audit recommendations are to slow down the rollout of the NDIS,” he told Sky. “If that is the approach the Abbott government is going to take, then that's not the way we should be supporting people with disabilities, particularly encouraging them into work.” |
| In its report, the commission said the DSP was costing $15.8bn a year. | In its report, the commission said the DSP was costing $15.8bn a year. |
| However, new disability assessment criteria introduced in 2012 only apply to new claimants, creating inequalities between newcomers and existing DSP recipients, an anomaly that should be addressed, it said. | However, new disability assessment criteria introduced in 2012 only apply to new claimants, creating inequalities between newcomers and existing DSP recipients, an anomaly that should be addressed, it said. |
| Saturday's ReachTel poll in Fairfax Media newspapers shows support for the Coalition at 46%, with Labor on a potentially election winning 54%. | |
| More than two-thirds of respondents opposed a proposal to raise the pension age from 65 to 70. Opposition was strongest among those aged over 65. |