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ESA appeals figures “absolutely appalling” – Stephen Lloyd

by Ian Shires on 9 March, 2018

New stats from the Department for Work and Pensions show that not far off two thirds of decisions that people are fit for work are overturned on appeal.  Now, think about it. You have to go through a stressful assessment process. You get your decision. You then have to ask for a mandatory reconsideration which will almost always have the same outcome. You then have the stress of waiting for months for an appeal. Then you have the stress of actually going to the Tribunal and facing questions from a panel. By this time a year or more could have gone by.

In any other organisation, such figures would lead to sackings and questions and enquiries  and sorting stuff out. Not in the Department of Work and Pensions under Tory misrule.

Our Work and Pensions spokesperson Stephen Lloyd called the figures “absolutely appalling.”

These figures are absolutely appalling, but of little surprise to me. With the many constituents who come through my office and those of other MPs’ across the country, we see with our own eyes some shocking decisions by Work Capability tribunals.

It is time that we stop faceless corporations making money off the backs of disabled people, while providing poor quality service.

The Liberal Democrats are campaigning to bring welfare assessments in-house as a public service to our disabled neighbours. This would be fairer, improve quality and remove the profit motive from what has become a broken and soul-destroying process.

 

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron’s Musings

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