Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Fifth Report - Health assessments for benefits
Work and Pensions Committee
HC 128
Published 14 April 2023
Recommendations
5
Not Addressed
Para 29
In response to this Report, we ask the Government to outline the methodology used to...
Recommendation
In response to this Report, we ask the Government to outline the methodology used to determine when Internal Process Reviews are carried out, and how it has improved its collection of data on deaths and serious harms since the NAO …
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Government Response Summary
The government responds by stating that the Department's assessments are not comparable to clinical assessments and that it routinely carries out evaluations of policy changes. It claims it would be extremely difficult to objectively separate the impact of the process on mental health from other confounding factors.
Department for Work and Pensions
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7
Not Addressed
Para 38
Following our predecessor’s 2018 Report, the Government commissioned research into the impacts of health assessment...
Recommendation
Following our predecessor’s 2018 Report, the Government commissioned research into the impacts of health assessment questionnaires and is now feeding that learning into its policy development. We have also heard important insight from academics on the mental health impacts of …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on the balance between providing sufficient time for claimants to return evidence and ensuring timely awards, particularly regarding the ESA50, UC50, and PIP2 forms; however, it does not commit to undertaking regular reviews of the mental health impacts of its end-to-end process of health assessments or ensuring external researchers have access to good quality, anonymised data.
Department for Work and Pensions
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12
Not Addressed
Para 54
Giving people sufficient time to gather relevant evidence for their claim could reduce the stress...
Recommendation
Giving people sufficient time to gather relevant evidence for their claim could reduce the stress involved for claimants and improve the quality of information available to the assessment provider. In turn this could lead to better initial decisions and reduce …
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Government Response Summary
The response discusses draft criteria focusing on claimants with severely disabling, lifelong conditions, reviews of guidance, covert surveillance, and informal observations, but does not address the recommendation to extend the deadline for returning forms.
Department for Work and Pensions
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14
Not Addressed
Para 58
We welcome that DWP has made some improvements so that the assessments process is more...
Recommendation
We welcome that DWP has made some improvements so that the assessments process is more accessible. However, we heard that these changes “are quite ad hoc and reactive”. In response to this Report, the Government should set out how many …
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Government Response Summary
The Department states that the requested information is not stored in a way that would allow them to provide accurate figures on legal challenges relating to failure to make reasonable adjustments for health assessments.
Department for Work and Pensions
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20
Not Addressed
Para 92
DWP has not conducted any research on reasons for its losses at Tribunal since 2012—before...
Recommendation
DWP has not conducted any research on reasons for its losses at Tribunal since 2012—before either PIP or Mandatory Reconsideration were introduced. We recommend DWP commission and publish research focusing on the costs and effectiveness of Mandatory Reconsideration, as well …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses the differences between DLA and PIP assessments and plans for the Severe Disability Group, but does not address the recommendation to commission and publish research on the costs and effectiveness of Mandatory Reconsideration.
Department for Work and Pensions
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23
Not Addressed
Para 104
We heard that PIP assessments can be particularly challenging for young people.
Recommendation
We heard that PIP assessments can be particularly challenging for young people. We recommend that young people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance should not be required to claim PIP until they are 18, as is the case in Scotland. …
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Government Response Summary
The government response focuses on testing plans for the Severe Disability Group, feedback used to develop criteria, publishing UC WCA statistics, reviewing guidance for health professionals, testing sharing assessment reports, and exploring recording assessments; it does not address light-touch, paper-based assessments for under 18s and DWP ensuring consideration is given to those moving from DLA, to ensure that young people whose conditions are unlikely to improve do not have to undergo repeated assessments when they move to PIP.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Conclusions (1)
1
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 15
We welcome the changes to the process for accessing benefits via the special rules for terminal illness, specifically replacing the six month rule with 12 months.
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses Internal Process Reviews (IPRs), when they are conducted, and how feedback is supplied to providers following the outcomes of IPRs.