To: Minister for Work and Pensions, Damian Green MP

Stop re-testing benefits for disabled people with incurable conditions

The Government have just announced that they will stop re-testing disabled people with incurable conditions or ones which get worse over time for the disability benefit Employment & Support Allowance. This is great news, but they need to extend this and also stop re-testing for Personal Independence Payments for people who have conditions which will never get better.

Why is this important?

Test for the disability benefit PIP are carried out by the for-profit company Capita. Their assessors have been criticised for insensitive treatment of seriously ill citizens and for producing reports which give an inaccurate picture of what individuals are able to do. Many disabled people find the assessment process to be stressful and upsetting, and there is no point in constantly reassessing someone whose condition is never going to get better, or will get worse over time. The fact that the Government have decided to stop reassessments for ESA claimants with lifelong, incurable conditions shows that they realise that this isn't an effective use of resources. Now they need to extend this to PIP as well, and stop wasting public funds on unnecessary assessments which can be distressing for those involved.

UK

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