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A report by the Committee on Work and Pensions found a "profound lack of confidence" in the health assessment system for benefits, with the committee recommending "quick and easy changes" to restore confidence. The system is in place to help people with disabilities or health problems access benefits, but according to committee chairman and Labor MP Sir Stephen Timms, several measures need to be put in place to improve the system. "We interviewed 8,500 people in our survey and found that a deep lack of trust in the system was a recurring theme," Sir Stephen said.
Every effort should be made to end unnecessary limbo and stress for applicants.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that it has proposed to remove the Work Capacity Assessment (WCA) for people with Universal Credit and Employment Support Allowance.
This means that there will only be one assessment in the future, the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment, but the WCA will remain in effect until at least 2026.
"Many will welcome the abolition of work ability tests, improvements to government processes and the recognition that the system causes undue stress and hardship are steps in the right direction," Sir Stephen said.
“Waiting years for change won't be enough when faster wins are available: flexibility of choice by phone or in-person evaluation; save default grades; extend deadlines to reduce stress; and send applicants their reports.
"All of this will bring the necessary transparency to a process that few trust but that so fundamentally affects their lives."
Other improvements recommended by the 11-MP committee include reducing the rate of overturned decisions on appeal, which is currently 69% for PEP assessments, and reducing wait times for assessments.
The DWP said it would take the time to review the report's recommendations and introduce a new approach to personalized health conditionality instead of the WCA.
A spokesman for the department said it will provide a more personalized approach with the goal of helping those who use the system lead more independent lives.
They said in a statement: “This government is committed to ensuring that people can access financial assistance in a timely and positive manner. Therefore, reducing processing times and improving the applicant experience are key priorities for the DWP.
“The proposals put forward in our recent white paper on health and disability will make it easier for people to access the right support and improve trust and transparency in our decisions and processes.”
The DWP added that a customer experience survey, conducted from April to December 2021, found that 82% of customers were "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with the overall service they received.
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