Have your Say: Commons Select Committee inquiry into ESA and WCA

UKParliament

Our goal is to post up information on work undertaken in the House of Commons that has a consumer focus but which may not be highlighted elsewhere.

We have posted this on the Disability and Dosh board because we thought some of you might be interested in this subject.


Work and Pensions Select Committee:
New inquiry announced looking into Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments


The Committee’s inquiry:

In light of recent developments in this area, including the publication of a number of reviews of the WCA, expressions of concern from DWP regarding Atos’s performance in delivering the WCA, and the introduction of mandatory reconsideration, the Committee has decided to undertake an inquiry into ESA and WCAs to follow-up its 2011 report.

Submissions of no more than 3,000 words are invited from interested organisations and individuals.

The Committee is particularly interested to hear views on:

• Delivery of the WCA by Atos, including steps taken to improve the claimant experience
• The effectiveness of the WCA in indicating whether claimants are fit for work, especially for those claimants who have mental, progressive or fluctuating illnesses, including comparison with possible alternative models
• The process and criteria for procuring new providers of the WCA
• The ESA entitlement decision-making process
• The reconsideration and appeals process
• The impact of time-limiting contributory ESA
• Outcomes for people determined fit for work or assigned to the WRAG or the Support Group
• The interaction between ESA and Universal Credit implementation

Submissions do not need to address all of these points.

The deadline for submitting evidence is Friday 21 March

To find out more about the inquiry and guidance on how to submit evidence go to the Committee Page on Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments


For more information about the work of the Work and Pensions Committee please visit Work and Pensions Committee Homepage



If you have any questions or comments do let us know. Please note discussions on this thread are not counted as submissions to the Committee. For guidance on how to submit evidence to the Committee please see the Committee’s page on Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments

Thanks
DOT

cattermole

I urge anyone who has a good well written case to make a submission. Particularly those who have had successful appeals.

It makes more difference that people think to getting changes made. They need the evidence to make considered decisions and summaries.

tinkledom

cattermole wrote: »

I urge anyone who has a good well written case to make a submission. Particularly those who have had successful appeals.

It makes more difference that people think to getting changes made. They need the evidence to make considered decisions and summaries.

Are you living on the same planet as the rest of us?


As if your claim's experience will make all the difference!!


Become an MP and you will be half way to being taken seriously.

UKParliament

tinkledom wrote: »

Are you living on the same planet as the rest of us?


As if your claim's experience will make all the difference!!


Become an MP and you will be half way to being taken seriously.

Hi tinkledom

People's submissions can go a long way to informing Select Committees about how issues affect the public and can support a Committee when they come to writing their recommendations to the government.

Your experiences can make a difference - for example, in the past, members of MSE contributed to a Treasury Committee inquiry which looked into credit searches - as a result of people's experiences and the recommendations of the Committee, the government changed the law.

If people do want to submit their experiences to the Committee we encourage them to do so.

Thanks
DOT

cattermole

Tinkledom I have done it and it worked

tinkledom

cattermole wrote: »

Tinkledom I have done it and it worked

What? Become an MP?
Listen, I don't believe in any MP or what they stand for. In view of that at the age of 64 I have never voted in either a national general election or even a local council one.
What they promise is one thing, what they actually do is another.

cattermole

You knew what I meant re the original post so don't take it off track.

So back on topic I would encourage people to make submissions because it can and does make a difference.

UKParliament

Hello all!

We just wanted to bump this thread to say thank you to all those who submitted their experiences of WCA and ESA to the Select Committee.

Your experiences will help to inform the MPs during this inquiry.

If you want to be kept updated on the progress of this inquiry do let us know.

Thanks
DOT

sandy_smith_2

What actual powers to change things do these select committees have? From what I've seen it seems to be an excercise whereby MPs can get themselves on telly and massage their own egos.

A nice bit of theatre but that is about it.

schrodie

Given that Insidious Duncan-Smith treats this Committee with utter contempt and disdain I doubt any recommendations put forward by this Committee will be entertained by this person!

[Deleted User]

how many times do this "committe" need to be told that the wca is a failure?