Concern over ‘Fit4Jobs’ questionnaire that filters out DWP recruits with health conditions

Ministers are facing questions over why the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is using a strict screening process to filter out potential recruits with health conditions, while repeatedly complaining that too many disabled and older people are not in jobs.

DWP uses a private sector “employment health screening service” to provide a detailed account of a job applicant’s health history after they have received a provisional job offer.

If the applicant does not score enough points and fails to achieve the “health qualifying rate”, the job offer can be withdrawn.

The service – provided by People Asset Management (PAM) Ltd – asks seven pages of questions that probe the state of the applicant’s health through PAM’s Fit4Jobs questionnaire.

Among the questions asked are whether the applicant has any stomach, kidney or skin problems; whether they take any medication; and if they have ever had any surgery, have “ever suffered from any mental health conditions”, or even if they have ever broken a bone.

It also probes allergies, immune conditions, and whether the applicant has “ever been off work for more than two weeks due to a health or medical reason”, as well as asking a series of questions about Covid, and their use of alcohol, cigarettes and illicit drugs, their diet and how much they exercise.

PAM – which is being taken over by Optima Health – then uses an algorithm to transform the answers into a score, with applicants needing to score over 80 per cent of the highest possible score to achieve the “health qualifying rate”.

PAM then concludes on the form whether the candidate is suitable for the role.

The company makes clear that the questionnaire can help employers identify “[a]ny risks that could prevent an employee from undertaking their new role” as well as any adjustments they might need if they are recruited.

A copy of the questionnaire was passed to Disability News Service by a DWP work coach who said they found its use “concerning” and “troubling” because the scoring system “appears to reject candidates on the basis of health, disability and age”.

They said applicants would need to answer “no” to most questions to achieve the health qualifying rate.

And they said that it was hypocritical of DWP ministers to call endlessly for more people with health conditions to seek employment, while using a service that prevents many of them working for the department.

They said: “Many people I know would have had to tick the box about ‘high blood pressure’, ‘heart conditions’, ‘pain as a result of carrying out repetitive tasks’, etc, and would most likely have failed to achieve the health qualifying rate.

“I have a very strong feeling from the questions and scoring system that older people might struggle to get the requisite 80 per cent ‘Health Qualifying Rate’, purely because of the effect of time and a working life on the human body.”

They added: “This is to qualify for an office job at the DWP, not a job as a fighter pilot.”

Ministers have repeatedly suggested that too many people with health conditions are “economically inactive” and should be in employment.

In January, work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden said: “Too often, people with health conditions are signed off sick without the support they need to stay in or return to work—and that doesn’t help anyone.”

In December, he said: “We’re committed to reforming the welfare system we inherited, which for too long has written off millions as too sick to work.”

And in October, he said: “Writing off people with long-term health conditions or disabilities fails them and fails our economy.”

DWP did not deny this week that the pre-employment questionnaire was used to screen out some people with health conditions from jobs with the department, at a time when ministers were insisting that they wanted more disabled and older people in work.

DWP said the Fit4Jobs health assessment had been carried out by People Asset Management Ltd (PAM) as its occupational health provider since 2018, with the current contract expected to end in June 2027.

It said that Optima Health’s proposed purchase of PAM would not affect delivery of the contract.

A DWP spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring disabled people and those with long-term health conditions get the right support at work.

“The Fit4Jobs questionnaire is a standard pre-employment health declaration, completed by successful external candidates to ensure any workplace adjustments are in place from day one.”

PAM had not responded to multiple requests to comment by noon today (Thursday).