ESA, DLA and PIP chaos - DWP overturning more than half of it's own decisions on MR..

kittykat17

Just to get back to the original topic, I caught the tail end of a report on BBC news tonight about the ESA & PIP delays. Been looking on BBC News' website and this is all I could find (not allowed to post links):


Coalition's welfare strategy 'failing', documents reveal



6 hours ago


The new disability benefit is helping fewer people get jobs, while its rising cost is a big financial risk for the UK, an internal government memo says.
The memo, obtained by the BBC, says the Department for Work and Pensions is struggling to deliver employment support allowance (ESA).
ESA was introduced in 2008 to replace incapacity benefit.
The government acknowledged there had been problems but said it was bringing in a new firm to do tests for ESA.
The document also says claimants face an average nine-month wait after assessments. The target is three months.
Michael Buchanan reports.


They also mentioned a report in The Telegraph (I think) tomorrow but I haven't been able to find anything out about that.

kittykat17

Found some more on the BBC story:


The key sickness benefit is helping fewer people get jobs, while its rising cost is a big financial risk for the UK, internal government memos say.


The memos, obtained by the BBC, say the Department for Work and Pensions is struggling to deliver employment support allowance (ESA).


ESA was introduced in 2008 to replace incapacity benefit.


The government acknowledged there had been problems but said it was bringing in a new firm to do tests for ESA.


The documents - which include six memos written by civil servants and advisers - also say claimants face an average nine-month wait after assessments. The target is three months.
'Not delivering'




Julie Newman, UK Disabled People's Council: "The government seems to be very confused about what outcomes they want"



ESA is intended for people who are unable to work due to sickness or disability. Claimants undergo tests, called work capability assessments, before learning whether they are eligible.


The memos say that ESA "is not delivering more positive outcomes for claimants" than incapacity benefit did.


The payment's costs are expected to rise by almost £13bn by 2018/19, the documents say, warning the increase is "one of the largest fiscal risks currently facing the government".


The benefit is becoming a "long-term destination" for too many people, they say, and more people than expected are becoming eligible for it.


This is thought to be partly due to restrictions on jobseeker's allowance leading to an increase in ESA claimants.
Staff 'vilified'
A key aim of the benefit is to get people off welfare and into work, but the documents say this appears to be happening less than under incapacity benefit (IB).


"Employment outcomes actually appear lower than under IB", they say, and the "wider policy problems facing ESA will persist" despite the change in the company in charge of the assessments.


Earlier this month the government said more than 700,000 people were waiting for an assessment, blaming the delays on Atos, the private contractor currently carrying out the tests. Ministers say Atos had a backlog of 200,000 when the government came to power.


Atos, which has agreed to end its contract early, has said its staff have been "vilified" and abused for doing what was asked of them by ministers.


Mike Penning, the minister for disabled people, said: "We do have problems with the ESA assessment."


He said it was "something we inherited" from the previous Labour government - "but we are doing everything we can to address [it] which is why I've negotiated Atos out of the contract and we're bringing in a new provider so we make sure that we can have proper flow of the benefits coming through."


Mr Penning said he did not recognise the comments about financial risk to the government.


ESA is "fit for purpose", he said, adding: "It needs to evolve, it needs to change as we go forward and we need to make sure we get the right decisions - as in any other benefit - the right money goes to the right people and that's what the taxpayer would expect us to do."


Nearly two million people are currently claiming ESA, which entitles them to just over £100 a week.


Work capability assessments are carried out both on new claimants and those in receipt of incapacity benefit before they are moved to ESA.


Some of those deemed eligible for the payment are given regular interviews to help them find work, depending on their level of disability.

jga1940

Poppie68 wrote: »

To jga1940: I would like to sincerely apologise to you if i have offended you, i can't lie and say that wasn't my intention at the time, but i now realise you are genuine and i will go and eat a huge plate of humble pie even though i am on a diet!!!!..Again i am sorry!

No need to apologise, and I didn't take offence. I could have been a troll as you said, but pleased to learn you think I'm genuine. At the age of 73 with chronic illness myself and over 35 years in welfare rights and DLA appeals, not to mention I'm still a senior moderator for Benefits and Work, so have developed a thick skin, and some would say a thick head at times

Can't sleep, so just got up to make a brew:D

PS. I could just a piece of pie as I'm on steroids which keep me awake and very hungry.

Jim

jga1940

enabledebra wrote: »

Maybe they are but the poster is not convincing as evidence of it. There are also theories that the backlog is about getting rid of tribunal chairs by with holding income because very generous pension rules were introduced and they want rid of the numbers of part time chairs who would otherwise end up entitled to the pensions. Both plausible but no evidence.

Just to clarify tribunal chairs are now called Tribunal Judges. Most work on a fee per day session so are not entitled to a pension. Only full time salaried Judges qualify for any private pension.

Poppie68

jga1940 wrote: »

No need to apologise, and I didn't take offence. I could have been a troll as you said, but pleased to learn you think I'm genuine. At the age of 73 with chronic illness myself and over 35 years in welfare rights and DLA appeals, not to mention I'm still a senior moderator for Benefits and Work, so have developed a thick skin, and some would say a thick head at times

Can't sleep, so just got up to make a brew:D

PS. I could just a piece of pie as I'm on steroids which keep me awake and very hungry.

Jim

The humble pie was'nt up to much so i had a piece of lemon cheesecake instead...:):):)

Poppie68

Nearly 2 million on ESA!
How many are on it that could actually be in work if common sense measures were put in place.
At the moment the current fit note only has one option for a GP when a patient without a current employer requests a fit note for ESA purposes, they only have the 'not fit for work' box to tick.
The fit note needs to be fit for purpose and take into account the unemployed patient/claimant by adding boxes that maybe include.
Part time suitable, flexible hours, light duties, desk job etc.
At the moment it is easy for a wool puller to abuse the benefit system and exagerate the symptons without the need for their GP to find out. GP's on the whole are ignorant to the ESA claim system and need educating. As a former GP/medical secretary of many years i can think of dozens that were blatantly abusing the system but as we are bound by confidentialty our hands were tied, the only thing we could do was bring things to the GP's attention which in all honesty opened their eyes a little and left it to them to deal with accordingly.
Health questionnaires which are more detailed than the current one need to be sent to every claimants GP's..
In fact there are many ways the fakers can be weedled out but that would have to be implemented by someone with common sense and this goverment does'nt seem to have anyone who fits that bill...

Morglin

jga1940 wrote: »

Morglin wrote: »

Hi Lin,

I'm sorry but it was posted in News, and then removed.

Like you I'm too busy for all this argy bargy, and I'm now 73 years and still moderating. I have no problem with what you post, since we've known each other online for more years than I can remember and I respect you.

This is a disclaimer I always post in e-mails asking for advice, the Disclaimer is useful advice to all who post on forums:

The information contained in this message or any of its attachments may not be official policy, but the personal views of the sender. The contents are privileged and confidential, and are intended exclusively for the named recipient.

If you are not the intended addressee, any disclosure, reproduction, distribution, dissemination or use of this communication is not authorised. If you have received this message in error, please advise the sender by using your reply facility in your e-mail software. All messages sent and received are monitored for virus, high risk file attachments, and inappropriate content.

Disclaimer: This is not legal advice, but for information only. If you need legal advice you should not rely on information given on the internet, or by e-mail but consult a solicitor or specialist lawyer in person.

Best wishes to you and M

Jim

Like you, this is going to be my last word on the subject.


The link I sent to B&W came up with (and I quote) "This item will only appear AFTER it has been approved by a moderator. (It wasn't approved, it didn't appear, so it wasn't removed!)"

I can, and will, of course, confirm that you are not a troll, and did serve as a lay member of the Tribunal Service. You are also a mod on B&W.


As for JJ, I can also confirm that she and JJ111 are the same person, so it is NOT two people. I know this because of the PM service, and I am aware enough to know they are one or two people!


For what it's worth, I do believe JJ, but, obviously others make their own decisions, and that's up to them.


I have found the info very useful, but, again, only time will tell!


But, the one thing I have learned, since becoming disabled, is that if disabled people put half the effort in campaigning against various governments, with what goes on, as they do fighting amongst themselves, about trivia, we could move mountains.


I am not just talking about on here, it's a common problem, and quite honestly, I can't be bothered with it..


Anyway, I am off to do the lighter side of life, instead of all this heavy stuff....:beer: so I wish anyone and everyone good luck with their claims, now and in the future..


Lin

NYM

Poppie68 wrote: »

Nearly 2 million on ESA!
How many are on it that could actually be in work if common sense measures were put in place.
At the moment the current fit note only has one option for a GP when a patient without a current employer requests a fit note for ESA purposes, they only have the 'not fit for work' box to tick.
The fit note needs to be fit for purpose and take into account the unemployed patient/claimant by adding boxes that maybe include.
Part time suitable, flexible hours, light duties, desk job etc.
At the moment it is easy for a wool puller to abuse the benefit system and exagerate the symptons without the need for their GP to find out. GP's on the whole are ignorant to the ESA claim system and need educating. As a former GP/medical secretary of many years i can think of dozens that were blatantly abusing the system but as we are bound by confidentialty our hands were tied, the only thing we could do was bring things to the GP's attention which in all honesty opened their eyes a little and left it to them to deal with accordingly.
Health questionnaires which are more detailed than the current one need to be sent to every claimants GP's..
In fact there are many ways the fakers can be weedled out but that would have to be implemented by someone with common sense and this goverment has anyone who fits that bill...

Such common sense !

Mojisola

Poppie68 wrote: »

How many are on it that could actually be in work if common sense measures were put in place.

Not many, given that these people don't want to work and there are a lot of unemployed people who are desperate for a job.

If you were an employer, which type would you employ?

Alex_Shafner

Reading this thread I can't believe how much stick JJ was getting. She's trying to help but you guys were laying into her. If I was her I wouldn't bother again. Disgusting behaviour. Like a pack of animals.