Benefits and Employment: How Problem Drug Users Experience Welfare and Routes into Work

Increasing the conditionality of welfare benefits is a growing trend in many developed countries, particularly in relation to some groups who may be perceived as undeserving of state support. Problem drug users (PDUs) are one such group, and in the UK most PDUs do not work and a high proportion claim benefits. Facilitating the movement of these individuals into employment is a policy aim, because it is believed to improve the circumstances of drug users (and promote future abstinence) and because moving all groups off benefits and into work is a primary purpose of recent welfare reforms. Yet little is known about the interactions of PDUs with the UK benefits system or how recent moves to increase the conditionality of benefits are likely to affect this vulnerable group. This paper begins to address this gap by exploring the perceptions that PDUs and relevant frontline staff have of drug users' interactions with the welfare system and the factors affecting their prospects for employment. The findings suggest some aspects of recent welfare reforms, notably the simplification of benefits, may help PDUs interact with the system. However, the data also reinforce claims that the increased use of sanctions is unlikely to succeed in improving employment rates amongst this group without intensive support and demand-side interventions.

在许多发达国家，增加福利的条件限制是一种日益增长的趋势，特别是针对一些可能被认为不值得国家支持的群体。吸毒问题者就是这样一个群体，在英国，大多数吸毒问题者没有工作，而且很大比例的人领取福利。促进这些人就业是一项政策目标，因为人们认为这会改善吸毒者的状况（并促进他们未来戒毒），还因为让所有群体脱离福利并就业是近期福利改革的一个主要目的。然而，对于吸毒问题者与英国福利制度的相互作用，以及近期增加福利条件限制的举措可能如何影响这一弱势群体，我们知之甚少。本文通过探究吸毒问题者和相关一线工作人员对吸毒者与福利制度相互作用的看法以及影响他们就业前景的因素，开始填补这一空白。研究结果表明，近期福利改革的某些方面，特别是福利的简化，可能有助于吸毒问题者与制度互动。然而，数据也证实了这样的观点，即如果没有强化支持和需求方干预，增加制裁的使用不太可能成功提高这一群体的就业率。