Incapacity benefit reform - The Disabilities Trust responds

19 October 2010

The first big phase of the government's radical welfare reform programme has started, as long-term incapacity benefit claimants in Burnley and Aberdeen will be the first across the country to be reassessed for their ability to work.
Claimants will have a Work Capability Assessments (WCA). These assessments are being carried out by Atos Origin Ltd - a company contracted by the DWP.

Those people who are reassessed and found fit for work will move onto Jobseekers Allowance and will be expected to look for work like other jobseekers. Those who could work but need extra help and support to become ready to work, will move onto Employment and Support Allowance and receive tailored support to get back to work.

The Government has said that the most severely disabled will remain largely unaffected and will get extra help through Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) but there is no given definition of ‘severely disabled’.

Whilst The Disabilities Trust recognises that changes need to be made to the benefits system and welcomes policies that support disabled people to work, we are concerned that the current tests used to assess people are flawed and will not recognise genuine cases where people are unable to work.

This is because the tests are based around physical criteria alone. For example, gauging how far a person can walk. Many of our service users can walk well but have no concept of road safety, so could not travel without an escort.

We understand that the tests do not cover cognitive or behavioral reasons as to why people may not be fit to work which, all the evidence indicates, are more significant factors for those with acquired brain injury who we support.
The Trust believes that any fitness to work test should thoroughly assess mental health and whether it creates a barrier to work or coping in the workplace.

There is also a real risk that the tests could lead to long term costs for an individual being higher because people who are genuinely unable to work but are forced back to work through inaccurate assessment may well end up needing more intense support eventually as their condition deteriorates.

The government wants to toughen up on benefit claimants while supporting those in genuine need. It now has a real opportunity to reform the system and has already made some positive moves by ensuring that people returning to work can keep some of their benefits. However, it must ensure that measures to assess ability to work take into account ‘hidden’ disabilities, particularly cognitive and behavioural as well as more apparent physical issues.

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