The benefit and the doubt

Shock horror 5279 drunks and druggies are staying home and drawing a benefit, taking money off people who have a job. Figures released by Work and Income show that workers contribute about $1 million a week in benefits to alcoholics and drug addicts. The total for all those who are on a sickness or invalid benefit is $24 million a week almost $6 for every person in the country.

The drug money story has got headlines for Judith Collins, National's social welfare spokesperson, this week. She accused the Government of doing nothing to help beneficiaries with conditions and illnesses that "can be, and have been, treated very successfully". There were even claims some beneficiaries were pretending to be alcoholics to get a benefit. That comes on the heels of reports in May that GPs were being bullied by "patients" into writing sick notes and that in one case the reason given by a sickness beneficiary for not working was "couldn't be bothered".

As New Zealand examines how much its benefit money adds up to, there are similar complaints in the UK where, shock horror, it was reported last month 100,000 alcoholics and drug abusers out of 2.64 million beneficiaries were also picking up sick pay. One in 26 on a sickness benefit was an alcoholic or an addict, only slightly better than the one in 24 here.

It is not the dollars and cents that is the major issue here. Of greater concern is that the increase in sickness and invalid benefits coincided with a fall in the number drawing unemployment benefits. Work and Income deputy chief executive Patricia Reade has highlighted a five per cent drop in sickness benefits in the year to March, but the number is still up 22 per cent on five years ago: 105,000 then, 127,000 now. It is difficult to argue against the view that many have simply switched benefits. The number who cite drug problems has almost doubled to 2540 since 2004. It suggests a huge rise in this country's drug abuse problems or a significant lowering of the bar by doctors whose opinions are relied on when applications for benefits are made. It would be prudent to determine which of the two is the major contributing factor.

Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson says she is confident programmes such as Paths (Providing Access to Health Solutions) ensure alcohol and drug-affected beneficiaries get the treatment they need. The figures presented to date from that scheme make unconvincing reading.

Alcoholism is a disease, drug addiction a trap. There is no doubt a section of the community is unable to work because they are a victim of one or the other. Their cost to society is considerably higher than the benefit money paid out each week. The Government should be under no illusion: the problem is not under control. It might look at plans in Britain where the Government expects to cut the numbers on the Incapacity Benefit by 20,000 after introducing new tests in October to determine what a person can do, rather than cannot do. Those tests offer hope to those who want work, and expose those who don't.

- © Fairfax NZ News