Policy Hub
On 17 December 2008, the UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC) published a report (Working towards recovery: getting problem drug users into jobs) which suggests that government efforts to get drug users into jobs through new welfare reform proposals may not work unless more radical steps are taken to support employers.
The report cites research which finds that employers are concerned about recruiting those who have a history of drug problems or who are taking prescribed medicine, such as methadone, to treat their addiction. Specifically, UKDPC finds that:
Employers identified the need for practical support and help to manage ‘risks’. More radical measures such as incentives and legislation may also be needed to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by recovering drug users trying to re-enter the labour market.
The report considers the range of barriers to work faced by problem drug users and looks closely at how they can be overcome. It also criticises the lack of evidence of ‘what works’. Despite some promising practice, there are no evaluations to demonstrate the effectiveness of national initiatives such as ‘progress2work’, the government programme accessed by 13,000 recovering drug users in 2007/08 at a cost of £20 million.
Working towards recovery: getting problem drug users into jobs