Page 7 - Community Living Magazine 31 - 4

welfare rights
Benefit assessments caused ‘a loss of trust’, say MPs

A parliamentary inquiry into assessments for disability The health professional will be observing
benefits had some shocking findings. charlie callanan reports and assessing the client from the moment
they meet until the interview ends.
and offers some advice to those going through the process All observations (e g “the claimant kept
eye contact” or “the claimant was clean
and well dressed”) as well as all replies to
n inquiry by a House of Commons questions are used in informing the
committee earlier this year has assessment report.
afound the quality of many of the Assumptions may be extrapolated from
assessments for disability benefits to be an answer to a question. For example, if a
very poor. client says that she goes to a local shop
It said that this problem had “led to a for groceries, it may be assumed she can
loss of trust that risks undermining the engage with other people unaided and deal
operation of major disability benefits”. with money without help – any difficulties
Almost 3,500 disabled claimants and the client experiences should be described.
their carers responded to the inquiry held Clients should explain any limitations or
by the Work & Pensions Committee. difficulties they experience in carrying out
Many individual responses included Buyers beware: assessors may assume a client an activity. This could include: “I have cut
allegations that the assessment reports who goes shopping is able to engage with myself while chopping veg and preparing
written following face-to-face interviews people and deal with money without difficulty meat, and I burnt myself while using an
included errors, inaccuracies, omissions oven. If I cannot get help with preparing
and lies. Disability charities also fed back some of and cooking food, I just heat up a
examples of poor practice that the the experiences of their client groups. The microwave meal.”
inquiry highlighted included a woman with Down’s Syndrome Association was one
mental health difficulties who was asked charity to report very worrying levels of
why her suicide attempts had failed, and a ignorance shown by health professionals “ Questions included
report about a claimant with mobility who carried out assessments for some
problems stating that she walks her dog claimants with a learning disability: ‘How long have they had
daily, despite her not owning a dog. Down’s syndrome for?’
The assessments are done by health “Some of the assessors, for both ESA
professionals working for private and PIP, need more insight and training and ‘When did they catch
contractors. They take place during the with regard to people with learning Down’s syndrome?’
claim and/or review process to help to difficulties … questions that parents ”
determine entitlement to personal have been asked at the assessments
independence payments (PIP), [included]: ‘How long have they had Clients should mention any pain or
employment and support allowance (ESA) Down’s syndrome for?’ ‘When did they fatigue experienced when carrying out
and universal credit for some claimants. catch Down’s syndrome?’ ‘When were daily activities, and where it takes a long
you diagnosed with Down’s syndrome?’ ” time to complete an activity.
‘Untruths’ The assessor may physically examine
The committee published its inquiry The government has agreed to a clients, who should not agree to or try to
report, PIP and ESA Assessments, in recommendation by the committee to do anything they are not able to do usually.
February. Complaints from disabled arrange for all face to face assessments to Clients can contact the health
claimants included: be recorded. It has also agreed to provide assessment provider after the interview to
● ●Face-to face interviews failed to capture more relevant information, such as details request a copy of the assessment report.
the nature and extent of an individual’s about PIP and eSA descriptors (abilities The Work & Pensions Committee
disabilities or their impact on daily used to calculate limited capability for inquiry gave a voice to many benefit
functioning work), in easy read versions and/or video. claimants with disabilities who found the
● ●Relevant information shared by a process difficult and unfair. but the
claimant with the assessor not being Information and tips question remains if and when changes will
taken into account below are some information and top tips be introduced to make the assessment
● ●Assessment reports could be inaccurate, about benefit disability assessments. and reports fairer and more accurate. n
and contain errors or “untruths”. worker if possible, or a relative or carer ● All PIP and ESA Assessments Inquiry
The client should attend with a support
documents, including the government’s
The inquiry feedback includes
mJ bottle/Wikimedia Commons through a disability assessment. A quote client to answer the questions. http://tinyurl.com/y7b936sf
summaries of many experiences of going
– they should be allowed to help the
response, can be downloaded from:
Any current medical evidence and/or
from one claimant was very telling:
supporting information from a social
Charlie Callanan is an adviser and writer
“The report we received was a work
on welfare rights issues. He has more than
worker or support service should be
handed to the assessor. bring medication
20 years’ experience in the charitable and
of fiction and bore no resemblance to
statutory sectors
what actually took place.”
www.cl-initiatives.co.uk and any portable aids. Community Living Vol 31 No 4 | Summer 2018 7