Tag Archives: employment support allowance

“Utterly damning report” on PIP and ESA Assessments

By Kirsten Johnson | Thu 15th February 2018 - 10:30 am

Yesterday, the government published the latest Work and Pensions Select Committee report on PIP and ESA Assessments.

The benefits system is clearly failing – asking a claimant how they caught Down’s Syndrome is appalling. One lady was put down as able to walk her dog, even though she did not own a dog and could hardly walk.

The most vulnerable in our society are not being properly …

Posted in News | Also tagged disabled people and personal independence payment | 9 Comments

Disgraceful attitude to mental health disguised by the warm words of Iain Duncan-Smith

By Paul Walter | Mon 24th August 2015 - 8:37 pm

Listening to Iain Duncan-Smith can be enough to send anyone to sleep. He drones on and one can be lulled into thinking he is being quite reasonable.

However, behind his warm words, there is a chilling attitude to disabilities and particularly to mental illness.

He seems to be saying: There must be something you can do if you are suffering from depression.

And: If we start cutting your benefits, that’ll act as a little nudge to push you gently into work.

Blimey. What planet does he live on?

Having had a little experience of mental illness and those suffering from such long-term disabilities, I have to say that none of this washes.

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged benefits, iain duncan smith and mental health | 17 Comments

Work is “like health treatment” says Iain Duncan-Smith

By NewsHound | Mon 24th August 2015 - 4:23 pm

The Gainsborough Standard reports:

Iain Duncan Smith has defended plans to get the sick and disabled back to work amid allegations that he is “punishing” society’s most vulnerable.

The Work and Pensions Secretary insisted being employed was like a “health treatment” and could help make people better.

He also denied that he had a target of taking a million disabled people off benefits, arguing it was sensible to ask whether individuals could do some work rather than writing them off altogether.

Posted in News | Also tagged iain duncan smith and welfare | 10 Comments

Opinion: Government must not force work activities on Cancer patients

By George Potter | Wed 7th December 2011 - 11:55 am

The main form of financial support for the long term sick and disabled is the Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

Once upon a time, cancer patients undergoing radio or chemotherapy intravenously were placed in the support group of ESA where they received unconditional support. However, those receiving radio or chemotherapy orally were placed in the Work Related Activity Group of ESA where they were forced to attend work related interviews and complete other work related activity or face having part or all of their support withdrawn.

My mother died of cancer. A large part of her treatment consisted of oral chemotherapy. Oral because …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged benefits, malcolm harrington and work capability assessment | 24 Comments

Opinion: Our Parliamentarians must fight for our benefits policies

By George Potter | Sat 3rd December 2011 - 4:46 pm

It was rather disappointing last week reading Jenny Willot MP’s article on LDV last week about the Harrington report and about the motion on the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) which was unanimously passed at autumn conference.

The article seems to imply that, by accepting the Harrington recommendations, the government is complying with the ESA motion and that a big round of applause is in order. We spotted a problem, passed a motion about it and then our ministers and MPs fixed it. Job done right?

Well, no. Despite that being what the article seems to imply, the situation is far from resolved.

By fully …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged benefits, jenny willott, legal aid, malcolm harrington, welfare reform and welfare reform bill | 11 Comments

Jenny Willott MP writes: Harrington – better assessments, better outcomes

By Jenny Willott | Thu 24th November 2011 - 3:24 pm

At our Conference in September, the Liberal Democrats unanimously supported a motion calling for changes to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) which accompanies it.

Speaker after speaker stood up to condemn the system left by Labour which subjected sick and disabled people to an ineffective, demeaning assessment process that was not fit for purpose. Many will remember the powerful speech by Shana Pezaro who condemned the WCA process as ‘utterly failing many people’.

The motion welcomed the first annual review of the WCA by Professor Malcolm Harrington, and the progress the Coalition Government has already …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged ATOS, benefits, malcolm harrington, shana pezaro and work capability assessment | 13 Comments

Opinion: Why you must lobby Parliament over welfare reform

By George Potter | Sat 22nd October 2011 - 2:25 pm

A few weeks ago, our autumn conference passed a motion on the Employment Support Allowance (ESA). This motion was passed near unanimously and party policy is now for us to push for significant changes to the government’s welfare reforms.

The reason behind the new policy is that the government’s changes, as currently formatted, would put two million long term sick and disabled people through a system which treats them like scroungers and cheats rather than vulnerable people in need of support. At present, 11,000 people a day are being put through a deeply flawed assessment process, which gets the decision …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged benefits, liam byrne, welfare reform, welfare reform bill and work capability assessment | 26 Comments

Conference motion: The way sick and disabled people are treated by the benefit system

By George Potter | Tue 6th September 2011 - 3:24 pm

At 4.15pm on Saturday 17 September, Lib Dem autumn conference will debate the Liberal Youth sponsored motion on the Employment Support Allowance and the Work Capability Assessment. This motion deals with the way sick and disabled people are treated by the benefit system and the way in which they are assessed to determine whether they are eligible for benefits or not.

The motion specifically targets the time limiting of support to a maximum one year for any sick or disabled people who have made national insurance contributions in the three years prior to claiming, the appeal system which sees anywhere between …

Posted in Conference | Also tagged benefits and work capability assessment | 16 Comments

Opinion: Political reasons for people to back the ESA motion‏

By George Potter | Thu 28th July 2011 - 11:57 am

If any of you are wondering how we can improve our situation in the polls then I’ve got a suggestion for you: back the Liberal Youth sponsored ESA Motion.

Now there are all sorts of compassionate, liberal and financial reasons to back this motion. The current system is unfair, inhumane, inaccurate and expensive. But, putting all that to one side for a moment, there are sound political reasons to back it.

At the moment the treatment of people with long term illnesses and disabilities is appalling. The media are starting to wake up to the issue, the government is facing a …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged benefits, chris grayling and iain duncan smith | 27 Comments

Opinion: Must do better – Why benefit reforms are in need of reform

By Sophie Bridger | Wed 27th July 2011 - 10:18 am

Over the last week, more and more articles have emerged regarding disability benefit (Employment Support Allowance) and Work Capability Assessments. I say articles – they read like horror stories. People with degenerative conditions being told to get themselves to the Jobcentre. People being asked to come to assessments in rooms that aren’t accessible to the disabled. It makes the blood run cold.

We have failed to show the public that this is not a cost-cutting exercise. They feel that this is purely a convenient way to squeeze a little more out of those already worst affected. Claimants are terrified that …

Posted in Op-eds | Also tagged ATOS and benefits | 73 Comments