ESA

How 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...

Atos to leave WCA contract early

On Thursday the DWP announced that Atos is withdrawing from its contract to run Work Capability Assessments, the controversial assessment...

Evidence-based review of the WCA

The government has been carrying out a study of suitable descriptors to use for assessments for ESA. The results were supposed to be...

The benefits system, workfare and public opinion

We cannot afford to base policy on public opinion when the public opinion is based on false information. ESA is a good example of this....

The importance of medical evidence for disability assessments

When 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...

Who 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...

Do 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 –...

Sickness 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...

Disability’s Not Working

The government has plans to further sanction long-term sick or disabled people if they deem these people to not be working hard enough. ...

Atos and the Paralympics

A few days ago James Max wrote an article about Atos and the Paralympics. Many disabled people and their supporters have been upset by...

Panorama and Dispatches report on the WCA

Last night Panorama (BBC2) and Dispatches (Channel 4) featured documentaries on the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), part of the process...