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27 April 2011
Last updated at 19:35 ET
Three-quarters of people who apply for sickness benefit are found fit to work or drop their claims before they are completed, official figures show.
Department for Work and Pensions figures showed 887,300 of 1,175,700 employment and support allowance (ESA) applicants over a 22-month period failed to qualify for assistance.
Of those 39% were judged fit to work, while 36% abandoned their claim.
Employment Minister Chris Grayling said the welfare system needed changing.
He said the figures underlined the need to reassess people still on the old incapacity benefit - a process which the government began rolling out last month.
"Once again we have clear evidence of the need for change in our welfare system.
"We now know very clearly that the vast majority of new claimants for sickness benefits are in fact able to return to work. That's why we are turning our attention to existing claimants, who were simply abandoned on benefits.
"That's why we are reassessing all of those claimants, and launching the work programme to provide specialist back to work support," he said.
"We will, of course, carry on providing unconditional support to those who cannot work, but for those who can it's right and proper that they start back on the road to employment," Mr Grayling added.
The DWP figures cover the period from 27 October 2008 - when ESA was introduced by the former Labour government - to 31 August 2010.
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Department for Work and Pensions figures showed 887,300 of 1,175,700 employment and support allowance (ESA) applicants over a 22-month period failed to qualify for assistance.
Of those 39% were judged fit to work, while 36% abandoned their claim.
Employment Minister Chris Grayling said the welfare system needed changing.
He said the figures underlined the need to reassess people still on the old incapacity benefit - a process which the government began rolling out last month.
"Once again we have clear evidence of the need for change in our welfare system.
"We now know very clearly that the vast majority of new claimants for sickness benefits are in fact able to return to work. That's why we are turning our attention to existing claimants, who were simply abandoned on benefits.
"That's why we are reassessing all of those claimants, and launching the work programme to provide specialist back to work support," he said.
"We will, of course, carry on providing unconditional support to those who cannot work, but for those who can it's right and proper that they start back on the road to employment," Mr Grayling added.
The DWP figures cover the period from 27 October 2008 - when ESA was introduced by the former Labour government - to 31 August 2010.
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