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Government to blame for benefits assessment misery, say MPs MPs criticise disability benefits tests
(about 5 hours later)
The government is to blame for "misery and hardship" imposed upon claimants being re-assessed for benefits eligibility, the Commons public accounts committee says. MPs have criticised the test being used to see whether people claiming disability benefits are fit to work.
Chairwoman Margaret Hodge accused the Department for Work and Pensions of being "unduly complacent" and "getting far too many decisions wrong". The Public Accounts Committee said the Workplace Capability Assessment had resulted in too many wrong decisions which were overturned on appeal.
She said the medical assessments were hitting "vulnerable claimants hardest". Its chair Margaret Hodge accused the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of being "unduly complacent" and of hurting the "most vulnerable".
Employment Minister Mark Hoban accused the committee of "scaremongering". But employment minister Mark Hoban accused the MPs of "scaremongering".
Unveiling her committee's report on the medical assessments used to determine whether a claimant is entitled to benefits including employment and support allowance, Ms Hodge accused the government of "poor decision-making" over the ability of claimants to work. The Workplace Capability Assessment tests was introduced in 2008 to assess entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance, after it was claimed the old system was failing.
'Most vulnerable' The company Atos was paid £112.4m to carry out 738,000 assessments in 2011/12.
This was "damaging public confidence" in the system of assessments, the Labour MP said. 'Damaging confidence'
Although private firm Atos Healthcare has faced criticism for its role in the assessments process, "most of the problems lie firmly within the Department for Work and Pensions", she said. The committee found 38% of appeals against the DWP's decisions had been successful.
Ms Hodge said that 40% of appeals against Atos' decisions were successful, even though no new evidence had been presented in one-third of these cases. Ms Hodge, a Labour MP, accused the government of "poor decision-making", which was "damaging public confidence" in the system.
Although Atos has faced criticism, "most of the problems lie firmly within the Department for Work and Pensions", she said.
"The department's view that appeals against decisions are an inherent part of the process is unduly complacent," she said."The department's view that appeals against decisions are an inherent part of the process is unduly complacent," she said.
"The work capability assessment process hits the most vulnerable claimants hardest. The one-size-fits-all approach fails to account adequately for mental health conditions or those which are rare or fluctuating." "The work capability assessment process hits the most vulnerable claimants hardest.
Although the department had "started to improve", she said, claimants "too often" found the assessment process so stressful that their health was deteriorating. "The one-size-fits-all approach fails to account adequately for mental health conditions or those which are rare or fluctuating."
'Scaremongering'
Although the department had "started to improve", she said, claimants "too often" found the assessment process so stressful that their health deteriorated.
"A key problem is that the department has been unable to create a competitive market for medical assessment providers, leaving Atos in the position of being a near monopoly supplier," she said."A key problem is that the department has been unable to create a competitive market for medical assessment providers, leaving Atos in the position of being a near monopoly supplier," she said.
'Undermined'
"The department is too often just accepting what Atos tells it. It seems reluctant to challenge the contractor. It has failed to withhold payment for poor performance and rarely checked that it is being correctly charged.""The department is too often just accepting what Atos tells it. It seems reluctant to challenge the contractor. It has failed to withhold payment for poor performance and rarely checked that it is being correctly charged."
Mr Hoban said the committee's report "completely fails to recognise the considerable improvements we have made to the work capability assessment since coming to power in 2010, having inherited a system from the last government that was not fit for purpose".
In 2010, the government commissioned Professor Malcolm Harrington to review fitness-to-work benefit assessments. He subsequently called for an overhaul of the system to make it more "fair and humane".In 2010, the government commissioned Professor Malcolm Harrington to review fitness-to-work benefit assessments. He subsequently called for an overhaul of the system to make it more "fair and humane".
Mr Hoban said: "We're implementing all of Professor Harrington's recommendations, and the percentage of people getting long-term, unconditional support has more than doubled in the last two years. Mr Hoban said the committee's report "completely" failed to recognise this.
"Professor Harrington is clear that the changes we are making to the WCA [work capability assessment] risk being undermined by those who refuse to acknowledge improvements in the process. He added: "Rather than scaremongering and driving down the reputation of the WCA, critics might like to acknowledge the fact that independent reviews have found no fundamental reforms are needed to the current process because of changes we're making."
"Rather than scaremongering and driving down the reputation of the WCA, critics might like to acknowledge the fact that independent reviews have found no fundamental reforms are needed to the current process because of changes we're making.
"This coalition government is determined to help those who are found fit to work into employment, but those who aren't will still get comprehensive support."
Have you been re-assessed for benefits eligibility? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.Have you been re-assessed for benefits eligibility? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below.