Limbless Teen Told He Must Prove Disability

[Kromovaracun]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-35610958

Edward Bright lost his limbs as a child as a result of meningitis. Upon applying for disability benefit, he was told that he would have to prove his disability to 'assessors' - a requirement which the DWP only withdrew after public pressure.

Lest you think this kind of thing is an isolated case - assessors have previously been instructed by the DWP that they are supposed to discriminate against people whose mobility is limited by mental illness:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/dwp-mental-health-discrimination-pip-cuts-mobility-mind-a7629866.html

According to a recent FOI request, these assessments (most of which are carried out by the company Maximus) are estimated to have cost about £100 million in the last year, and significantly, those who appeal their assessments are overwhelmingly likely to win:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/feb/12/disability-benefit-appeals-department-for-work-and-pensions-figures

Is this really a sensible way to run the benefits system? Or are these assessments just a cynical method of trying to deny money to the disabled in the name of "making savings"?

[Islay]

The problem is alba is there are Dr's out there that will sign people off for a quiet life these are the same Dr's that give out tablets without see the patient.
As much as people dislike it there needs to be a system in place other than the GP's.

[THECORBYLOON]

POSTDOG, for ESA claimants, a face-to-face assessment is carried out only if thread is not sufficient evidence to confirm limited capability for work. If there is supporting evidence from the likes of a consultant, there may be no need for an appointment but there would need to be a re-assessment to start the process again.

Conditions do change and the methods of treatment change. Unless the claimant tells the DWP what treatment is being received, how would they know a consultant is involved in order to contact them?

Someone can be classed as being 100% disabled but that does not preclude them from being employed.

[Mamyalynne]

Oh I see I misunderstood your reply, like Islay I simply used those words in the general dictionary definition - and I would again.

[Islay]

Well it certainly wasn't meant to offend Douglas I honestly could not at the time think of a better phrase.

[Mamyalynne]

jump through hoops
phrase of hoop
1.
perform a difficult and gruelling series of tests at someone else's request or command.
"the banks make you beg for a loan and they make you jump through hoops to get it"

[Mamyalynne]

I realise that there are many sides to all of this, what bothers me most is the large number of appeals that get decisions overturned and not only the monetary cost of those but the human cost too.

[THECORBYLOON]

ALBA, a doctor may be able to say you are unfit for your current job or have certain limitations. The Work Capability Assessment (WCA)looks at what you CAN do as opposed to what you can't.

The assessment is not saying you have no incapacity, it establishes whether the incapacity is such it prevents you from working at all.

[THECORBYLOON]

MAMY, for each claimant who appeals and wins, there are many more who have accepted the original decision was correct.

[Postdog]

I'm not talking about ESA. I'm answering the original post about DLA and PIP.

And further to that, for genuine claimants of disability, the thought of being rejected on the say so of an individual who has no knowledge of that disability is so wrong.

[Islay]

At the end of the day we are talking about public money which has to be justified therefore I am in favour of all processes that need to be in place to stop money being given away 'willy nilly'

[THECORBYLOON]

One of the links rerers to ESA and says, "But the department is facing questions from the work and pensions select committee over the figures, following claims that it was not given similar information for MPs’ inquiry into PIP and ESA. 

Figures obtained through a freedom of information request show the DWP has spent £108.1m on direct staffing costs for ESA and PIP appeals since October 2015."

My response about conditions changing, applies equally to PIP.

PIP claimants can report their condition has worsened and can be re-asseessed. How many ask to be re-assessed early because of an improvement?

[Islay]

There was a case recently where a man had repeated gone to appointment claiming he could barely walk and he was in constant pain, he was then pictured driving a pickup and lifting heavy tool boxes.
These are the people that need to be weeded out.

[naomi24]

I haven’t read all the replies but it’s right that people applying for benefits should be required to prove they are entitled to them.

[Kromovaracun]

Of course they do, Islay. But at what cost to genuine claimants? They are the reason the system is there in the first place. If it does not provide adequate support for them, or actively causes them further hardship, then the entire system is a waste of money per se because it doesn't do what it is supposed to do.

//As much as people dislike it there needs to be a system in place other than the GP's.//

Not super convinced. If there are lazy or corrupt doctors, it does not follow that we should then impose a superfluous layer of assessors with insufficient medical training. Or give them strong incentives to find people fit for work regardless of circumstance.