Employability and problem drug users

The New Labour government in Britain has introduced a major programme of welfare to work, known as the New Deal, which aims to help unemployed and economically inactive people into paid work. Although welfare to work programmes may be appropriate for those who are more or less job ready, it is less clear that they are suitable for hard-to-help groups with multiple disadvantages. This article draws on new survey evidence from Scotland to question the suitability of welfare to work for problem drug users. It demonstrates that many people using drug treatment services suffer from a range of serious personal, health, lifestyle, and other problems that would need to be addressed before they are in a position either to complete welfare to work programmes successfully or to take up and retain paid employment.