Jul 5, 20142 minHow successful is the Work Programme?Compared to previous programmes, the Work Programme is not helping more people into work or keeping them in work longer. As we move into...
Mar 27, 20142 minAtos to leave WCA contract earlyOn Thursday the DWP announced that Atos is withdrawing from its contract to run Work Capability Assessments, the controversial assessment...
Dec 14, 20134 minEvidence-based review of the WCAThe government has been carrying out a study of suitable descriptors to use for assessments for ESA. The results were supposed to be...
Sep 28, 20133 minThe benefits system, workfare and public opinionWe cannot afford to base policy on public opinion when the public opinion is based on false information. ESA is a good example of this....
Aug 23, 20134 minThe importance of medical evidence for disability assessmentsWhen it’s their word against yours, medical evidence is what proves you’re not the one lying. Medical evidence is what says that you are...
Jun 3, 20133 minWho pays to employ sick people?Many people are disabled because they are chronically sick. These people cannot turn up to work regularly, because any given day they...
Apr 6, 20133 minDo people leave sickness benefits ‘rather than’ face an assessment?I received a request to write about the 878 300 people who drop their ESA claims early. The government’s line – repeated several times –...
Oct 10, 20123 minSickness and suicide“84% of GPs say they have patients who have presented with mental health problems such as stress, anxiety or depression as a result of...
Oct 9, 20124 minDisability’s Not WorkingThe government has plans to further sanction long-term sick or disabled people if they deem these people to not be working hard enough. ...
Sep 6, 20129 minAtos and the ParalympicsA few days ago James Max wrote an article about Atos and the Paralympics. Many disabled people and their supporters have been upset by...
Jul 31, 20125 minPanorama and Dispatches report on the WCALast night Panorama (BBC2) and Dispatches (Channel 4) featured documentaries on the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), part of the process...