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The system used to decide whether disabled people receive benefits is “broken” and must be overhauled by the next administration, former assessors have warned.
A whistleblower said both Labour and the Conservative parties needed to listen to the despair of disabled people over the “brutal” procedures used to grant Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other benefits in England and Wales.
Former Benefits Evaluator I It is time to stop viewing applicants with suspicion and end the culture of “grabbing people” during assessment interviews.
One woman said she was asked to record applicants’ appearances and “even their smell”, adding: “Assessors were encouraged to write: ‘You look well-groomed and you don’t smell, you should be able to wash yourself'”.
Another woman said she felt “overwhelmed” by the intense pressure to resolve people’s demands as quickly as possible.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) denied that its contracts with assessment providers contained performance-based targets or bonuses linked to the duration of PIP assessments.
In April, the Conservative government set out plans for radical reforms to the PIP assessment process in a bid to cut England’s “skyrocketing” welfare spending.
Claimants and disability advocates fear the proposed changes, including a six-tiered rating system, will make it harder to prove eligibility and lead to cuts to benefits for many.
Labour has postponed a decision on PIP reform until after the general election and has refused to confirm whether it will implement the Conservative reforms.
In its manifesto, Labour promised to increase employment opportunities for disabled people and reform the Work Capabilities Assessment (WCA) process, which is separate to PIP.
However, the party has not provided details on what these reforms would look like.
An independent poll by BMG Research found that less than a third (30%) of voters support the Conservative government’s plans to reform PIP. I It was revealed earlier this month.
I We spoke to four former benefits assessors who worked for companies contracted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about their experiences and what changes they would like to see.
All names have been changed to protect identities.
They all said parties should resist the urge to cut costs and instead follow the reforms made in Scotland, where there is greater reliance on specialist medical advice.
Sandra was working as a PIP assessor at Capita for six months from late 2022 to early 2023. “It feels like the system is failing,” she said.
“It should be modernised to reflect the current state of the NHS and the increasing co-morbidities of mental disorders.”
Assessors are trained medical professionals who award points according to an individual’s capabilities and the level of help they require.
Your points will determine whether you receive a higher PIP rate, a lower rate, or no award at all.
Sandra, a trained nurse, said “argumentative” internal auditors frequently asked her to change statements describing disabled people’s ability to complete tasks, resulting in reduced marks being awarded.
She said she felt “overwhelmed” by the intense pressure to resolve people’s demands as quickly as possible.
“I would often choose what I knew was right for the claimant, but auditors would ask me to change a category of compensation even though I didn’t agree with it on a medical level,” she said.
“On my last day of work I was in tears and feeling awful about myself. I felt like I had failed, that I had let the claimants down. I felt like I was trying to climb a mountain the whole time. The stress was building up, I reached my breaking point and quit.”
The PIP whistleblower previously I The quality of decision-making was affected by intense pressure to meet daily targets for the number of cases assessed.
Nicola will be working for the Independent Assessment Service (IAS), run by Atos, from 2022-2023 for around six months, before returning to NHS work after an “incredibly stressful” role.
“The focus shouldn’t be on catching people,” a trained mental health nurse said, adding: “We should give more time to assessments and not rush deadlines, especially for people with complex, multiple symptoms.”
“Assessors need to receive more detailed information from the health professionals involved in care.”
“It didn’t smell. It should be washable.”
PIP is not work-related and is designed to help disabled or ill people who have problems with daily living and mobility to live independently.
Applicants can receive up to £184.30 per week, depending on their assessment.
One former assessor said there were similar problems with the assessment of other benefits, including the WCA, which is used to determine claims for Employment Support Allowance for disabled and sick people.
Craig worked as a WCA assessor for contractor Maximus for four months in 2018 but became “burnt out” and returned to physiotherapy.
“I hated going to work. I hated every minute of it,” he said.
“You’re asked to comment on someone’s appearance and smell.
“Someone might say they haven’t been able to wash for a week. The assessor would be prompted to write, ‘I was well-groomed and didn’t smell, so I should be able to wash myself.'”
Mr Craig, who carries out six face-to-face assessments a day, said benefits reform should find a way to get health professionals to provide evidence, even if it takes time.
“I think the next government, whether it’s Labour or another party, should listen to disabled people and consider what they need.”
Explaining the assessment process, he said the onus is on the applicant to “prove” the extent of their disability or illness.
“They are able-bodied until proven disabled. Your own assessment will be considered by your manager so you are encouraged to think that way.”
“After a few months, I was exhausted and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had to get back to helping people.”
Danielle, who worked as a PIP assessor for Capita between 2017 and 2021, said the job was “horrifying”. A trained nurse, Danielle was forced to carry out three to five assessments a day during her time with the company.
“It’s a cruel system,” he says. “A fairer system would mean that the questions are clear and fair, rather than trying to catch people.”
Of the Conservative government’s proposed reforms, he said: “They’re about cutting spending. It’s terrifying.”
“Cutting PIP payments will put a lot of people at risk. It will push people into poverty.”
A spokesman for IAS, which is run by Atos, said its assessment had been carried out “in accordance with DWP guidelines” and noted that decisions about grant payments were made by the DWP.
“The qualified medical professionals available for consultation provide independent advice to DWP. They have no targets or incentives linked to claims outcomes and we consistently achieve claimant satisfaction rates of over 95%,” a spokesman said.
“There will be no set consultation time and applicants will be given the opportunity to discuss how their disability or health condition is affecting their daily life.”
A Maximus spokesman said: “We provide a respectful and sensitive service to our clients and our medical professionals are able to spend as much time as necessary assessing their functional capacity.”
The company said the final decision on benefit claims rests with the DWP.
The DWP and Capita declined to comment.