Charities attack ‘farcical’ fitness-to-work benefit test

Over a three-year period, 13,600 people with cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s or rheumatoid arthritis applied for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and were put through the Government’s Work Capability Assessment to decide whether they were physically capable of doing work.

Of those, 45 per cent were deemed able to recover from their condition to the point where they can look for work, according to research from Parkinson’s UK, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the MS Society and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.

The assessments are carried out by private firm Atos Healthcare on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Caroline Hacker, head of policy at Parkinson’s UK, said: “This is the latest in a long line of unspeakable failures by Atos Healthcare and the Government when it comes to supporting those who need it most.

“To set up a system which tells people who’ve had to give up work because of a debilitating progressive condition that they’ll recover is farcical and simply defies belief.

“These incomprehensible decisions go to show that many assessors, and those who rubber-stamp the decisions in Government, don’t apply the most basic understanding of the medical conditions they are dealing with.”

But the Government insisted that while it was “ridiculous” to suggest people could recover from degenerative conditions it was important they were not “written off”.

A DWP spokesman said: “There is strong evidence that working can be beneficial for many people who have a health condition – and as Parkinson’s UK themselves point out, many people with Parkinson’s continue to work for many years after their diagnosis.

“But we also want to ensure those who need it get the right support, which is why a decision on whether someone is well enough to work is taken after consideration of all the supporting medical evidence provided by the claimant.

“Someone who is placed in the work-related activity group for ESA is too ill to work and gets their benefits, but may with the right help be able to work in the future if, for example, they can manage their condition.”

Atos Healthcare has repeatedly come under fire from charities and disability campaigners over the judgements it reaches on whether people are fit to work or should receive benefits.

A spokesman for the company said: “Our healthcare professionals are trained in the assessment of chronic and progressive conditions such as Parkinson’s and understand that, sadly, some people’s conditions will only get worse over time.

“However, the advice we are asked to give DWP concentrates on how individuals are affected by their illness at present.

“All decisions on the outcome of claims, for example whether they are placed in the WRAG or the Support Group, are made by DWP.”

The spokesman said Atos would consider any relevant medical evidence presented by claimants during the process that would enable the DWP to make a more informed decision on benefit entitlement.

He said that “as agreed with the DWP, we proactively write out to GPs for further medical evidence where we believe that receiving it may mean we can avoid a face-to-face assessment for the most disabled and unwell”.