The Benefits Working Group (BWG) is run and chaired by service receivers, with co-ordinators providing admin support. All campaigning and publicity is decided by members, who include service receivers and local benefits advisors.
Employment Support Allowance
Our biggest campaign has been against the work capability assessment (wca) component of the employment support allowance (esa). ESA was introduced in 2010 to replace Incapacity benefit. Claimants have to complete a form called an ESA50, after which they attend a medical assessment by a private company called ATOS. Assessments are scored on a points system, with thresholds for success or failure. Results are then sent to decision makers at the DWP who then tell clients of the decision.
The problem is, that many people with severe and enduring mental health problems are being found “fit for work”. This results in the loss of some or all ESA payments, and receipt of Job Seekers’ Allowance. MHAG began to get involved from late 2010, and has contributed to three reviews by Professor Harrington from the Royal College of Psychiatrists aimed at improving the ESA process.Unfortunately this has failed to solve the key problems.
There are two types of employment support allowance. The work related activity group (WRAG). Where you are requested by the jobcentre plus, to do activities; for example attending training courses, studying for new qualifications, doing voluntary work, that, will, in theory at least, increase your level of employability?
Failure to take the job centre plus`s guidance may/will result in you being "sanctioned", your employment support allowance benefit, being stopped.
There is also the employment support allowance support group, which is similar to the old incapacity benefit.
73% of current employment support allowance appeals are successful at benefit tribunals. So it is worth appealing, and seeking advice, if you have been unsuccessful, after your work capability assessment.
MHAG is committed to the scrapping of the WCA and ATOS Assessments, and replacement by a fair and considered system which fully acknowledges people’s conditions.
The photos record our protest outside the ATOS Assessment Centre in Normanton in August 2012.
A three judge court rules that the Work Capability assessment discriminates against claimants with a mental health disability. Click here to view the article.
Personal Independence Payment
From 2013, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will be replaced by a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This benefit is designed to enabled people with disabilities to live as normal a life as they can and has traditionally had no bearing on employment. In fact, many people in receipt of DLA have worked for many years, but require the benefit to help pay for adaptations, equipment or care that enable them to continue working.
MHAG has concerns that once again as with ESA, this change is designed to save money rather than provide genuine help and support for those that need it. However, learning from the disaster of ESA, the DWP has engaged in a much more widespread and affective consultation process, and MHAG has played its part in this by contributing to DWP papers and proposals.
We still have major concerns that mental illness is not sufficiently covered despite the involvement of mental health charities. We fear that many people currently in receipt of DLA will not qualify for PIP, leading to loss of mobility, employment and social engagement, leading to social isolation and financial hardship. We are now about to join with the DWP PIP Implementation Forum and will report back to the Benefits Working Group on progress.
Universal credit
Click here to find the latest information on universal credit - Is it close to collapse?
