Signal Boost: Work Capability Assessment Independent Review

signal boost

WCA independent review – Call for Evidence launched 27th July

Dear all,

As you may know, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to undertake an independent review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). This is an important part of the Employment and Support Allowance claim process, designed to determine which claimants are capable of undertaking work, or work-related activity. My aim is to review the current workings of the assessment, and make recommendations on the future development and efficacy of the WCA.

As part of this process, I have today (27th July 2010) launched a call for evidence to gather information from a wide variety of stakeholders on the WCA. I strongly invite you to contribute to the call for evidence by submitting any information you may have that is relevant to how the WCA is operating. This includes evaluating how the WCA assesses limited capability for work and limited capability for work-related activity. There are a number of questions throughout the document and I would very much welcome your responses to these.

The call for evidence can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/.

This e-mail is being sent to a large number of people and organisations who have already been involved in this work or who have expressed an interest. Please do share this e-mail with, or tell us about, anyone you think will want to be involved in this consultation. I apologise if this means you receive this message more than once, but stakeholder views really are important to the process.

The closing date for the call for evidence is 27 August 2010 – please send your responses to wca.evidence@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
(or hard copies to: WCA Independent Review Team, Floor 6, Section B, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9NA) by then.

Kind regards,

Prof. Malcolm Harrington CBE

2 thoughts on “Signal Boost: Work Capability Assessment Independent Review”

  1. While I’m glad they’re calling for submissions of experiences, I doubt they’ll listen to any of them. They’ve clearly stated that their aim is to cut the number of disabled adults receiving disability-related benefits, and they’re paying companies like ATOS commission to do just that. Their aim to “Get people off benefits and into the workplace” is even more laughable, given the economic climate we have, where even qualified TABs are having difficulty making ends meet. There are something like 800,000 job vacancies and almost 4 million unemployed. Someone is not ‘doing the maths’.

    All the harrowing tales in the country of mistreatment/abuse at the hands of DWP and the likes of ATOS could never convince those in power that disabled benefit claimants are anything but lazy filth.

  2. A quick FYI as you may not have gotten a chance to read the paper… while the letter you quote here says the Call for Evidence runs until 27 August, the paper *itself* says to ensure you send in your response by 10 September. Odd.

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