 |
 |
|
|
site map 
search disability rights uk
contact us | home | list of members | publications | what's new
17 October 2011
FOR PUBLICATION
Open letter to the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Minister for Employment
Dear Minister,
Re: Proposal to cut Employment and Support Allowance during appeals
The 57 charities and other organisations that make up the Disability Benefits Consortium are today united in our horror at the suggestion, reported in the New Statesman (“Judged fit to work? You could lose your benefits if you appeal “, 14 October ) and the Times (“Appeal and we’ll cut cash, claimants to be told “, 14 October), that Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) may be withdrawn from claimants as they appeal against decisions.
The rates of successful appeals and spiralling costs are indicative not of claimants taking advantage, nor of lenient tribunal judges, but of an assessment system that is not fit for purpose and that needs urgent reform. The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has already recognised this in accepting the recommendations of the Harrington report, but more must be done to make the necessary changes to the system.
It is completely unacceptable that thousands of ill and disabled people should be penalised for the DWP’s poor decision-making, and the inability to invest in a timely appeals system. Making disabled people wait on average six months for an appeal hearing is both stressful for claimants and a waste of Government resources in itself.
This proposal would be an extremely concerning attack on the right to appeal, which would not only stifle legitimate challenges to wrongful decisions, but would bury the evidence of problems with the system and hinder the urgent improvement of the Work Capability Assessment that is so clearly needed.
We appeal for your assurance that the DWP has no intention to take forward this grossly unfair suggestion, and would welcome a public statement from the DWP to this effect.
Yours sincerely,
Hayley Jordan, MS Society; Mark Baker, Action on Hearing Loss; Steve Winyard, RNIB; Simon Shaw, Sense
Co-Chairs of the Disability Benefits Consortium
Note: for pdf files you will need to download adobe acrobat reader. To convert the pdf to alternative formats or for more information on accessibility go to access adobe.
 |
