The Work and Pensions Committee questioned Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) contractors Atos, Capita and Maximus, who carry out the medical assessments for disability benefits PIP and ESA, putting the disturbing evidence it has heard so far to them.
There has been an unprecedented response to the Committee’s inquiry that has included thousands of individual accounts of medical assessments that range from frustrating to gruelling, and oral testimony from claimants and advocacy groups.
Many claimants of Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in particular challenge the DWP benefit decision based on these medical assessments, first through “Mandatory Reconsideration”, and then a final appeal stage at a tribunal.
NOW PONDER THIS!
In May of this year a Freedom of Information request revealed that the DWP sets a target for 80% of Mandatory Re-considerations to uphold the original decision.
How can this be fair? .. it seems premeditated. How is such a target compatible with a fair and impartial reconsideration process?
And it is now evident that high proportions of DWP decisions for both benefits are overturned at the tribunal appeal stage, sometimes with a radically different award being decided