Today in Parliament, Stephen asked the Minister for Disabled People, Health, and Work, Tom Pursglove, if he would start requiring that assessors record health assessments for disabled people on benefits.
To receive certain benefits, such as the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP), disabled people have to undertake a health assessment. An inquiry into health assessments by the Work and Pensions Select Committee, which Stephen chairs, found that many disabled people find these assessments degrading and intrusive. In 2019/20, 77% of health assessments for PIP that reached tribunal were overturned. The Select Committee recommended that assessment providers should be required to record their assessments to improve their quality.
Speaking in Parliament, Stephen said, “the select committee has recommended that all these assessments should be recorded to help put things right. The assessment providers all support that recommendation. Will the minister give the House an assurance that he will give that recommendation very serious and sympathetic consideration?”
The Minister responded that he “wants to work constructively to get these reforms right” and said “we should look at this.”