Changes to work requirements for disability support pensioners
From September 2008, Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients who wish to find employment will undertake a simpler assessment process or a ‘pre-employment referral’, which will only collect information to determine the most appropriate employment services for the individual.
Currently, DSP recipients who want to look for work automatically have their benefit reviewed, which can result in a reduction of their payments.
There are currently more than 700,000 DSP recipients, who are not required to undertake any activity.
The potential loss of benefits was one of the single biggest disincentives for DSP recipients, who of their own accord want to find work.
The simpler ‘pre-employment referral’ job capacity assessment would only collect information required for the job seeker to determine the most appropriate service.
It will allow the job capacity assessor to identify which employment service providers are best suited to assist someone with disability back into the workforce, without conducting a review of the person’s DSP entitlement.
