10 signatures reached
To: Amber Rudd and the DWP
Protect ill and disabled people from dishonest and brutal PIP assessors
I want the DWP to change the assessment practices for PIP in order to protect ill and disabled people from harm and distress.
I believe the assessments should be carried out by 2-3 assessors. Crown courts have juries, magistrates have 3 people residing.
One person alone can make mistakes or misunderstand things. They can also have implicit bias, make errors and lie. These things can be avoided if more than one person deliver the assessment.
I believe that somebody should be made available to claimants, in order to support and represent them during an assessment. This would be especially helpful for those having to attend alone and people who struggle with communication. This person should also take their own truly impartial notes and 'call out' assessors on any untruths.
At the very least assessments should be recorded in order to make sure information is represented accurately by assessors.
I believe the assessments should be carried out by 2-3 assessors. Crown courts have juries, magistrates have 3 people residing.
One person alone can make mistakes or misunderstand things. They can also have implicit bias, make errors and lie. These things can be avoided if more than one person deliver the assessment.
I believe that somebody should be made available to claimants, in order to support and represent them during an assessment. This would be especially helpful for those having to attend alone and people who struggle with communication. This person should also take their own truly impartial notes and 'call out' assessors on any untruths.
At the very least assessments should be recorded in order to make sure information is represented accurately by assessors.
Why is this important?
I have read too many stories of assessors telling lies and ignoring things which confirm provided evidence and are in the claimants favour.
I recently experienced this for myself.
My assessor was rude, ignorant and her behaviour verged on abusive. This is wrong!
If anybody else came into my home and treated me the way she did, I would call the police but I felt forced to comply with her because she held the keys to the support I need.
I am a vulnerable person, yet the DWP has no safeguarding measures in place which protect me or other vulnerable people from abusive assessors.
Also, if the DWP insist on putting ill and disabled people on trial, shouldn't they take on practices used in courts which make the process fair??
I recently experienced this for myself.
My assessor was rude, ignorant and her behaviour verged on abusive. This is wrong!
If anybody else came into my home and treated me the way she did, I would call the police but I felt forced to comply with her because she held the keys to the support I need.
I am a vulnerable person, yet the DWP has no safeguarding measures in place which protect me or other vulnerable people from abusive assessors.
Also, if the DWP insist on putting ill and disabled people on trial, shouldn't they take on practices used in courts which make the process fair??
