Blowout in drug, alcohol benefits

More than $1m a week being paid

Taxpayers are forking out millions in benefit payments to support alcoholics and drug users who claim they cannot work, new figures show.

More than 5270 beneficiaries receive weekly sickness or invalid payments because of drug or alcohol problems. They are not compelled to receive treatment.

The escalating problem is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $1 million a week.

Data released under the Official Information Act show there are 2540 beneficiaries who have drug abuse listed as their primary reason for being unable to work - almost twice the 1297 listed in 2004.

There are also 2739 sickness and invalid beneficiaries who list alcoholism as the reason they cannot work.

The figures come amid claims that some long-term unemployed have said they are alcoholics just so they can continue receiving a benefit.

The number of people on unemployment benefits has fallen dramatically in the past five years, while the number on sickness and invalid benefits has increased from 105,000 to 127,000

The decision to declare someone unfit for work, and therefore eligible for a sickness or invalid benefit, is made by a doctor. Work and Income rules require an initial review after four weeks and every 13 weeks thereafter.

Work and Income deputy chief executive Patricia Reade said the department relied on doctors' opinions when dealing with sickness beneficiary applications.

"It's not us deciding whether or not they are [alcoholics], it's the medical practitioners." The department could not explain the increase in drug and alcohol-addicted beneficiaries, but was working closely with the Health Ministry and ACC on what was primarily a health issue.

But National Party MP Judith Collins accused the Government of doing nothing to help such beneficiaries, and wasting taxpayers' money.

"These are illnesses that can be, and have been, treated very successfully. We're not talking about terminal cancer."

However, Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson said she was confident that programmes such as Paths (Providing Access to Health Solutions) ensured alcohol- and drug-affected beneficiaries got the treatment they needed.

Ms Reade said case managers could not force beneficiaries into treatment programmes.

Many had other mental or physical health problems which prevented them from working, such as cirrhosis. Alcoholism in itself was not a reason to be off work.

She said Work and Income was now consulting directly with doctors over sickness claims. "It doesn't mean to say that we are questioning their medical diagnosis, but we are simply seeking more information."

A single person on a sickness benefit aged 25 receives $219.25 a week gross. The invalid benefit pays $277.50 a week.

Royal New Zealand College of Practitioners president Jonathan Fox said alcoholism was a clinical judgment based on trust and the available information

- © Fairfax NZ News