wca

Benefits and Poverty

March 15, 2018 0

DWP ‘hides impact of changes to ESA guidance that risked lives of thousands’

The government appears to be trying to hide information that could show the impact of major changes to “fitness for work” guidance that risked the lives of thousands of disabled benefit claimants. It is the second time this month that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has breached the Freedom of Information Act

Benefits and Poverty

February 15, 2018 0

Benefit assessment system undermined by culture of mistrust, say MPs

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The disability benefit assessment system is being undermined by a “pervasive culture of mistrust”, fuelled by widespread claims that assessors are deliberately trying to prevent disabled people receiving the support they are entitled to, according to a committee of MPs. The long-awaited report by the Commons work and pensions committee describes how many claimants

Benefits and Poverty

Tracey Lazard sitting behind a table and holding a microphone

February 15, 2018 0

Benefit assessment report welcomed, but concern over ‘preventable harm’ failings

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Disabled campaigners have welcomed a report by MPs on disability benefit assessments, which they say highlights “serious multiple failures”, but many believe it should have done more to highlight the serious “preventable harm” caused by the system. The report by the Commons work and pensions committee concludes that there is a “pervasive culture of

Benefits and Poverty

Sarah Newton in front of the work and pensions committee

December 21, 2017 0

Fury over MPs’ refusal to quiz minister on ‘staggering’ WCA suicide figures

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“Furious” disabled campaigners have attacked MPs on a Commons committee for refusing to ask the minister for disabled people about figures showing attempted suicides among people claiming out-of-work disability benefits doubled between 2007 and 2014. The new figures, showing how suicide attempts rocketed after the introduction of the work capability assessment (WCA), emerged last

Benefits and Poverty

Paul Litchfield giving evidence to a Commons committee

December 21, 2017 0

Expert chosen by DWP appears to suggest scrapping ‘fitness for work’ test

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The occupational health expert chosen by the government to review its much-criticised “fitness for work” test appears to have suggested that the assessment should be scrapped and replaced with a radically different process. Dr Paul Litchfield, who led the fourth and fifth reviews of the work capability assessment (WCA), said the Department for Work

Benefits and Poverty

December 21, 2017 0

Regulators face possible action over failure to discipline lying PIP assessors

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The body that oversees the UK’s health and care regulators is considering taking action over their failure to punish nurses, paramedics and physiotherapists who write dishonest benefit assessment reports. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) is to look next month at whether it should examine the failings of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Benefits and Poverty

Hundreds of white flowers lying on grass

December 14, 2017 0

‘Staggering’ ESA suicide figures prompt calls for inquiry and prosecution of ministers

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“Staggering” new figures show that the proportion of people claiming the main out-of-work disability benefit who have attempted suicide doubled between 2007 and 2014. The new analysis of NHS statistics, being published for the first time by Disability News Service (DNS), shows that in 2007 – a year before the introduction of the much-criticised

Benefits and Poverty

Long windows on the front of the Department of Health and Social Care offices in Whitehall

December 14, 2017 0

Department of Health silence over failure to highlight ESA suicide risk

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The Department of Health (DH) has refused to say why it failed to warn NHS bodies and other local services that claimants of out-of-work disability benefits are at a hugely-increased risk of attempting to take their own lives. DH published the latest version of its national suicide prevention strategy in January this year. The

Benefits and Poverty

November 30, 2017 0

‘Shocking’ NHS stats show nearly half ESA claimants have attempted suicide

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“Shocking” NHS statistics have revealed that almost half of the people claiming the main out-of-work disability benefit in England have attempted suicide at some point in their life. The figures, showing rates of self-harm among claimants of employment and support allowance (ESA), were published by NHS Digital in September 2016, but have apparently never

Benefits and Poverty

A sign pointing to Parliament Street and Whitehall

November 16, 2017 0

Response to benefit assessment inquiry breaks Commons records

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An inquiry into the government’s flawed disability benefit assessment regime has produced more online evidence from the public than any other investigation ever held by a House of Commons select committee. More than 2,800 submissions had been made to the work and pensions committee through its online forum by the time the deadline passed,

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