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McNulty: drug treatment scheme now available for jobseekers

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 27 April 2009

A drug treatment referral scheme to get drug users off benefits and back into work starts operating across England today, announced Employment and Welfare Reform Minister Tony McNulty.

Heroin or crack cocaine users claiming benefits in England will be able to access advice and referral from their Jobcentre to a drug treatment service so that they can get better and take steps to return to work.

The Welfare Reform Bill, currently before Parliament, includes provisions to pilot a new mandatory employment-support programme for problem drug users. They will be required to attend discussions about treatment and agree a rehabilitation plan. The plan will set out the steps they will take to address both their drug problem and any other barriers to work that they face. Failing to comply with the plan could result in benefit sanctions.

Today is the first step in the process that will follow once the Welfare Reform Bill has passed through Parliament.

Tony McNulty said:

"From today every Jobcentre across England will be able to offer heroin and crack cocaine addicts on benefits access to the help and support they need so that they can get well and return to work - ultimately reducing the cost to society, reducing poverty, social exclusion and helping to improve people's health.

"But from next year our offer of help comes with an obligation for drug addicts to actively find out about the support options available to them - if they don't they could be sanctioned and may lose their benefits."

The scheme is a joint initiative by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health.

Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said:

"The health problems from heroin and crack cocaine are substantial and long lasting. Thanks to record investment, the numbers of people entering drug treatment has increased substantially. But opening up new routes to treatment is a must. For every £1 spent on drug treatment there is a saving of £9.50 to society as a whole."

Helping drug users on benefits into treatment is the first step in helping them regain control over their lives so they can overcome their addiction, be safer and healthier, and reintegrate into society.

Drug coordinators have already taken up their posts in every region across England to ensure the local links between Jobcentre Plus and drug services are seamless and that problem drug users receive more integrated support to help them tackle their drug use.

Notes to editors

1. This initiative follows concerns that the social and economic cost of drug misuse is unacceptably high - problematic drug use in Britain costs society around £15.4 billion a year in crime and health costs alone. Evidence suggests that over three-quarters of the around 400,000 heroin and crack cocaine users in Britain are claiming welfare benefits.

2. The role of the drug coordinator is to establish links between Jobcentres and treatment providers and to ensure customers' referral into treatment runs smoothly.

3. The role of the drug coordinator is to ensure the treatment providers are easily accessible and to ensure transition from referral to treatment runs smoothly.

4. The Welfare Reform Bill that is currently before Parliament includes provisions to pilot a new mandatory regime for heroin and crack cocaine users. The pilots will test a new mandatory employment support programme for problem drug users. They will be required to agree a rehabilitation plan that includes steps that they will take to address both their drug problem and any other barriers to work that they face. Failing to comply with the plan could result in benefit sanctions being applied.

5. The Government's 10 year drug strategy "Drugs: protecting families and communities" was published in February last year.

6. Information about the new scheme will be available in the Jobcentre Plus programmes and services section at http://www.direct.gov.uk