The Government response (click here)
24 November 2011 – Grayling: further improvements to fitness for work assessment will be made
Disabled people are to benefit from further changes to the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) following an independent review of the assessment which looks at someone’s fitness for work, Employment Minister Chris Grayling announced today.
The changes, which will further improve the system’s fairness and effectiveness, are outlined in the second independent review by Professor Malcolm Harrington.
Chris Grayling today pledged to accept Professor Harrington’s recommendations and to further consult on how best to support people with cancer.
The second Harrington Review, published today, has made substantial recommendations, which have been reached after extensive consultation with health and disability groups, including:
- Introducing checks on benefit decisions to ensure fairness and consistency
- Working with disability groups to help develop guidance for Atos healthcare professionals and Decision Makers
- Improved support and communications for people who move onto Jobseeker’s Allowance to make sure they get the help they need
- Regularly publishing data on performance and quality to improve the transparency of the face-to-face assessment
Professor Harrington said:
"My first review found that the WCA is the right concept, but that each part of the process was not working as well as it could or should. Since my last review the process has started giving people a more tailored and personal service.
"This year I have worked alongside some key health and disability organisations to make further recommendations to improve the system, especially for people with mental health and fluctuating conditions.
"I am confident that the changes being implemented are already making a real difference to people and will continue to do so."
Minister for Employment, Chris Grayling said:
"It is in everyone’s interest to get the system right. We want the assessment to be as fair and consistent as possible. This is the first step on a journey back to work for many people and we want it to be positive.
"The system is far better than it was two years ago but there are still improvements and refinements we can make.
"We are committed to helping thousands of people move from benefits and back into work. Those who are found fit for work will get the help and support they need to get a job. Those found too sick or disabled to work won’t be expected to and will continue to receive the help and support they need."
The WCA is currently being used to assess the two million people who have been claiming Incapacity Benefit. The benefit closed to new claimants in 2008, meaning that everyone receiving it has done so for over two years with 900,000 having been on the benefit for more than a decade.
Currently DWP is contacting 11,000 claimants per week to ask them for a reassessment.
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PDF version Like many organisations we welcome the results of the 2nd Professor Harrington Review into the Work Capability Assessment and government acceptence of the recommendations.
We remain critical however that reofrms seem very slow to implement at the operational level. Furthermore there has been no progress on the "recording of assessments" that matters to many who face the review. Yes a 'pilot' has been done but it seems to have gone silent on that front.
Also government minsters would do well to ensure that when commeting on WCA experience they note that not all the recommendations are active and some are still in the design and implementation stage. Certainly some of the answers to parliamentary questions seem to still bare little resemblence to the experience many report and yes this refers to actions supposedly operationally active.
There still seems to be "rubber stamping" of assessment decisions without any demonstratable evidence that Decision Makers are more 'impowered" or considering all evidence. Mental Health is still poorly dealt as are fluctuating conditions still. We also remain concerned that the WCA and ESA process isn't consistent with the DLA process in so far as the rule is that HIV+ claimants who note there GP & consultant should see the DWP/ATOS approach the HIV Consulant for a medical report rather than the GP. This is because the DWP already acknowleges that a GP is unlikely to have sufficent knowledge or exposure to a HIV+ persons health for many reasons not least stigma.
We continue to raise these issues and watch for the changes to materialise.
Dear David Cameron and Nick Clegg,
While we don't expect gifts this Christmas, we do want our basic rights protected and the support to enable us to live independently and with dignity.
Please make the New Year something disabled people can look forward to by:
- Not bringing in an arbitrary time-limit on Employment and Support Allowance for those who’ve paid into the system and still need support.
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Making sure that those who rely on Disability Living Allowance continue to receive the financial support they need through Personal Independence Payment.
Work Capability Assessment: accounting for the effects of cancer treatment – informal consultation
This consultation seeks to gather evidence and views about proposed improvements to the way the Work Capability Assessment assesses individuals who are suffering from cancer.
The Department is keen to obtain the views of all interested stakeholders, including individuals who have been or are being affected by cancer, their families and carers, healthcare practitioners and cancer specialists as well as representative organisations and employers.
Work Capability Assessment: accounting for the effects of cancer treatment
How to respond to this consultation
Start date: 16 December 2011
Closing date: 9 March 2012
Please ensure your response reaches us by that date.
We have listed the main questions we would like you to respond to at the end of the document. You are though free to respond to any part of the consultation document.
You can respond by post and email as follows.
Post: Work Capability Assessment Policy Team
Floor 2, Section B
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
Email: WCA.team@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2011/wca-assessment.shtml
Disability Benefits Consortium response to second Harrington Review of WCA
The Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC; 1) welcomes Professor Malcolm Harrington’s second annual review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA; 2) which was published today [3].
Mark Baker, Co-Chair of the DBC, says:
Professor Harrington’s first review [4] recommendations last year were accepted by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and efforts have been made to improve the system. But we are concerned that progress has been slow and fundamental problems remain with the assessment process for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) applicants.
Neil Coyle, DBC Steering Group member says:
The DBC is also concerned at the context in which Professor Harrington’s review is being published: a backdrop of sweeping changes to the welfare system affecting the lives of millions of disabled people. The Welfare Reform Bill, currently being debated in the House of Lords, is set to impose a one year time-limit placed on contributory ESA, a move which will undermine the effectiveness of the benefit and deny support to hundreds of thousands of disabled people.
We urge DWP to continue efforts to improve the WCA and avoid repeating the mistakes made in the reform of Incapacity Benefits in plans to change Disability Living Allowance (DLA; 6).
**ENDS**
Notes:
[1] The DBC is a national coalition of over 50 charities and other organisations committed to working towards a fair benefits system. Using our combined knowledge, experience and direct contact with disabled individuals, people with long-term conditions and carers, we seek to ensure that government policy reflects and meets the needs of all disabled people.
[2] The WCA test people for out of work benefits and has been the subject of considerable criticism for its effect on disabled people, inefficiency in identifying genuine needs and huge administrative costs. See: http://www.disabilityalliance.org/benchaos.htm for example.
[3] www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/employment-and-support/wca-independent-review/
[4] www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/employment-and-support/wca-independent-review/year-one/
[5] Access to Work supports disabled people in work and helps employers. See: www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/WorkSchemesAndProgrammes/DG_4000347 for further information on the scheme which the recent Sayce Review for DWP suggested should be better advertised to employers; see: www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/sayce-report.pdf
[6] The Government will remove 20% of the funding for DLA by 2015/16 requiring 2 million disabled people to undergo a further assessment. Disability Alliance estimates more than 650,000 could lose support as a result. See: www.disabilityalliance.org/dlatest.htm
More information
http://www.disabilityalliance.org/dbcharrington2.htm