New test thins out sick claimants

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They showed that 5% of people tested for the Employment and Support Allowance (Esa) were found to be incapable of working, with another 11% found to be eligible for the benefit along with work-related "activity".

The data suggests many of the 2.6 million people currently claiming incapacity benefit could face changes to their payments as part of new assessment procedures being rolled out across the country.

Researchers found that 36% of claimants tested were actually capable of working - more than double the proportion arising under the old Incapacity Benefit (IB) test.

A further 38% stopped claiming benefit before the Esa assessment was completed, according to the data released by the Department for Work and Pensions, while a tenth of applicants were still being assessed as the statistics were being compiled.

Some 193,800 people under went the new benefit test - called the Work Capability Assessment - between October 2008 and February 2009.

It was introduced by the Government two years ago and is being rolled out across the country next year.

Claimants undergo more stringent medical tests from a nurse or doctor. Under the previous system, only a note from their GP was required.

Last week the Conservatives pledged to test everyone receiving IB within the first three years of coming to power to see if they can return to work.

Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged more support to get people back to work. She said: "In the 80s and early 90s, including the recession, the number of people claiming incapacity benefit rose by a million. And too many people ended up on long-term sickness benefit without help to get back to work. That must never happen again."