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Thousands die after being declared fit to work

Other | Wednesday 2nd September 2015 | Christina

Statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions show that 2,380 died in a three year period soon after being declared fit for work.

The recently released DWP figures show that over 2,000 people died from December 2011 to February 2014 after their employment and support allowance (ESA) ended following a work capability assessment (WCA) that declared them fit for work. During the same time period, 7,200 people died after being awarded ESA and being placed into a work-related activity group (unfit to work but may be able to return to work in the future).

This data is fuelling the fire of those calling for reforms of the welfare system. Currently the WCA is carried out by the private firm Maximus, who have been heavily criticised on a number of counts – too error-prone, slowed by administrative delays, appeals against decisions can take months, harmful to the people who have to undergo it.

Labour leadership candidates Andy Burnham and Jeremy Corbyn have both spoken out about the WCA. Burnham described the system as “punishing” and Corbyn, who voted against its introduction eight years ago, has called for it to be scrapped.

Unsurprisingly the DWP has defended the WCA system as well as pouring scorn on the statistics, saying “These isolated figures provide limited scope for analysis, and nothing can be gained from this publication that would allow the reader to form any judgement as to the effects or impacts of the WCA.”

This data should be treated with caution as there is a lack of supporting information, like circumstances surrounding the deaths of these claimants. However, it is abundantly clear that there are serious problems with the current welfare system and they need to be fixed desperately. 

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