Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Paragraph: 28
We are deeply concerned to hear that nearly five years after our predecessor’s Report, people...
Conclusion
We are deeply concerned to hear that nearly five years after our predecessor’s Report, people are still experiencing distress as a result of undergoing health assessments. In particular, our survey respondents spoke of the stress, anxiety and in some cases severe mental health impacts of the assessment process. That we are still hearing accounts of poor accessibility, factual inaccuracy, delays, and communication problems speaks to a system that is still not adequately supporting often vulnerable people. Accurate data is vital to addressing the serious impacts of assessments on claimants that this inquiry and other research have exposed. Prior to any changes to the health assessment process, including the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment, an external assessment should be undertaken on the potential physical and mental health effects of these changes on affected claimants.
Government response summary AI-generated
The Department acknowledges its responsibility to support vulnerable claimants and details existing training programs and support roles, as well as unexpected findings processes, to address the potential mental and physical health effects of assessments.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
28
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The health and wellbeing of claimants is central to the Department’s delivery of its services. There are robust processes in place to ensure that objective assessment and reporting are carried out in line with professional analytical standards. The department will produce an impact assessment to accompany legislation in line with HMT Green Book guidance. The Department’s structural reform proposals, including removing the WCA, mark the biggest reform of the welfare system in a decade, and the Department understands the importance of getting it right. The intention of the reforms is to reduce the burden of assessments, whilst helping more people to move into and remain in work. It is vital that the Department build confidence and trust in the benefits system when people apply for or receive support. As such, it will be rolling out changes initially to new claims only on a staged, geographical basis, to allow it to test and learn continuously. The proposals will require primary legislation, which the Department would aim to take forward in a new parliament when parliamentary time allows. These reforms would then be rolled out from no earlier than 2026/27. The Department would expect the new claims roll-out to be completed within three years (so by 2029 at the earliest), when it would then begin to move the existing caseload on to the new system.
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