Work And Pensions Committee- First Oral Evidence For WCA Enquiry: Wed 9 April
April 4, 2014
The Work and Pensions Committee will hold its first oral evidence session for its inquiry into Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments on Wednesday 9 April.
Witnesses
9.30am, Wednesday 9 April, Grimond Room, Portcullis House, House of Commons
- Rachael Holmes, Head of Policy Research, Families, Welfare and Work, Citizen’s Advice
- Tom Pollard, Social Policy and Campaigns Manager, Mind
- Donna O’Brien, Social Policy and Campaigns Advisor, Parkinson’s UK
- Anna Bird, Head of Public Policy and Research, Scope
- Joanna Kennedy, Chief Executive, Zacchaeus 2000 Trust
Purpose of the meeting
This session, with claimant and disability representative groups, will explore:
- The effectiveness of the WCA in determining whether people are fit for work, including the findings of the Evidence Based Review and possible alternative assessment models
- Key concerns about the delivery of the WCA by Atos, and how these issues may be resolved with the new provider
- How eligibility for ESA is determined by the DWP decision maker
- Outcomes for claimants following assessment
- The process for appealing a decision and the available financial support during this period
- The impact of time-limiting contributory ESA for those in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG)
- The interaction between ESA and Universal Credit
3 Comments
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Same Difference 
Didn’t ATOS always claim that the DWP had set the idiot sheet out and they were only working to what the DWP asked for.
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Barry, because these WCA assessments were such a load of **** everyone involved pointed the finger at someone else, naughty schoolboys springs to mind. It has already been suggested that whoever takes on the role from ATOS will employ exactly the same assessors, so if you are facing this it will be exactly as it was under a different umbrella. the outcome is irrespective of your medical problems, you are “fit for some kind of work” but neither the assessors or their bosses the DWP will tell you WHAT kind of work that is. they conveniently forget that employers are not happy at having staff with long term disabilities or medical conditions, they are a liability to themselves and others (HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK) or has that been scrapped to accommodate this system. these are not just rantings but in fact are descriptions of my experiences, yes that is plural at several WCAs. I am awaiting yet another assessment and anyone who is being subjected to this inhumane treatment should contact their MP and complain via him or her
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No argument from me on that Graham I was just pointing out what the official atos line was, I agree I have always said they should describe exactly what work you are supposed to be fit to do.
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