Post by nickd on Aug 3, 2012 20:43:47 GMT 1
The Work Capability Assessment is widely condemned
Conservative MP Alistair Burt
Whereas the previous assessment was well defended
As it happens, the previous Incapacity Benefit related assessment (at the time the 'All Work Test) was hotly defended by Conservative MP Alistair Burt (then Minister for social security & disabled people) whilst offering his assurances to Parliament over the integrity of the new Incapacity Benefit introduced by the Tories in 1995:
"I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the incapacity work test will remain properly designed to ensure that those who can work do so, and that those who are incapable of work are not obliged to register for it. We have no intention of changing the test or of making any of the other changes to achieve the object that the hon. Gentleman mentioned."
Burt's words of 12 years ago to more or less mirror the same defence we are hearing of the Work Capability Assessment when it is debated in Parliament today. From the perspective of a welfare benefit specialist I can recall the introduction of the 'All Work Test' which provided the means of assessing claimants for the then newly introduced 'Incapacity Benefit' which replaced its predecessor Invalidity Benefit. It's interesting how Alistair Burt was vigorously defending the stricter Incapacity Benefit; whilst conceding that expenditure had 'doubled' since 1985 under his government's watch; an admission which any Conservative MP would feel distinctly uncomfortable in having to admit to. It's a pattern in parliament that whoever is in power will defend what they introduce, it's therefore hardly surprising that the Tories were right behind Incapacity Benefit back in the mid 90's. Back in the 90's it just wasn't as much a national sport as it is today to give the disabled a good kicking, hence Burt's caution in not coming over as too tough on those who suffer disability. You can read how Alistair Burt defended his government in speaking positively in Parliament when reviewing Incapacity Benefit in 1996; one year after his government had introduced the new benefit.
By 2006 it was time to move the goal posts...
Despite Incapacity Benefit being subject to the......
"Best assessment in the World"
Yes you are reading the above headline correctly, I have to confess to looking at a report commissioned by the DWP in 2006 more than a few times to make quite sure I'd got it right. The report entitled 'Transformation of the Personal Capability Assessment' compiled in September 2006 by the Psychical Function & Mental Health Technical Working Group was used in considering how to go about implementing changes for the introduction of Employment & Support Allowance. The Personal Capability Assessment replaced the original All Work Test; both of which were used as the principle mode of assessment when determining a claimant's health problems on the grounds of their incapacity for work. The previous test for deciding entitlement to Incapacity Benefit was not as lax as the media would have you believe. Indeed it was considered to be the envy of other countries. In its 'Rationale for Change' the technical working group concluded:
"To date the Personal Capability Assessment remains the best assessment of its type in the world. Indeed, it has been adopted by a number of other countries, and it remains a focus of international interest"
Yes it's all there in the report on page 8 which can be accessed here on a PDF via the DWP's information resources. Politicians were debating changes to the assessment in recognition of an apparent 'need for change', the question I would ask is why change an assessment considered to be one of the best in the world? Changes in welfare aren't peculiar to Tory governments either, indeed it was Labour who was responsible for implementing the now controversial Work Capability Assessment. Again it's hard to understand why, in Parliament MP Margaret Hodge was still praising the previous assessment in December 2005:
"The Personal Capability Assessment is acknowledged as being one of the most comprehensive benefit assessment processes in use anywhere in the world"
You can read more of the defence of the Personal Capability Assessment from this Parliamentary record on Hansard. With all the praise poured on the Personal Capability Assessment by both sides of the house you have to ask; - why change it?
Yes, that's the question we should be asking. Why would you want to change an assessment for Incapacity Benefit which was once deemed to be the 'best in the world'?
We'll be taking a look at the history of Incapacity Benefit, the All Work Test, the Personal Capability Assessment and it's troubled current day successor ' the Work Capability Assessment'...
Conservative MP Alistair Burt
Whereas the previous assessment was well defended
As it happens, the previous Incapacity Benefit related assessment (at the time the 'All Work Test) was hotly defended by Conservative MP Alistair Burt (then Minister for social security & disabled people) whilst offering his assurances to Parliament over the integrity of the new Incapacity Benefit introduced by the Tories in 1995:
"I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the incapacity work test will remain properly designed to ensure that those who can work do so, and that those who are incapable of work are not obliged to register for it. We have no intention of changing the test or of making any of the other changes to achieve the object that the hon. Gentleman mentioned."
Burt's words of 12 years ago to more or less mirror the same defence we are hearing of the Work Capability Assessment when it is debated in Parliament today. From the perspective of a welfare benefit specialist I can recall the introduction of the 'All Work Test' which provided the means of assessing claimants for the then newly introduced 'Incapacity Benefit' which replaced its predecessor Invalidity Benefit. It's interesting how Alistair Burt was vigorously defending the stricter Incapacity Benefit; whilst conceding that expenditure had 'doubled' since 1985 under his government's watch; an admission which any Conservative MP would feel distinctly uncomfortable in having to admit to. It's a pattern in parliament that whoever is in power will defend what they introduce, it's therefore hardly surprising that the Tories were right behind Incapacity Benefit back in the mid 90's. Back in the 90's it just wasn't as much a national sport as it is today to give the disabled a good kicking, hence Burt's caution in not coming over as too tough on those who suffer disability. You can read how Alistair Burt defended his government in speaking positively in Parliament when reviewing Incapacity Benefit in 1996; one year after his government had introduced the new benefit.
By 2006 it was time to move the goal posts...
Despite Incapacity Benefit being subject to the......
"Best assessment in the World"
Yes you are reading the above headline correctly, I have to confess to looking at a report commissioned by the DWP in 2006 more than a few times to make quite sure I'd got it right. The report entitled 'Transformation of the Personal Capability Assessment' compiled in September 2006 by the Psychical Function & Mental Health Technical Working Group was used in considering how to go about implementing changes for the introduction of Employment & Support Allowance. The Personal Capability Assessment replaced the original All Work Test; both of which were used as the principle mode of assessment when determining a claimant's health problems on the grounds of their incapacity for work. The previous test for deciding entitlement to Incapacity Benefit was not as lax as the media would have you believe. Indeed it was considered to be the envy of other countries. In its 'Rationale for Change' the technical working group concluded:
"To date the Personal Capability Assessment remains the best assessment of its type in the world. Indeed, it has been adopted by a number of other countries, and it remains a focus of international interest"
Yes it's all there in the report on page 8 which can be accessed here on a PDF via the DWP's information resources. Politicians were debating changes to the assessment in recognition of an apparent 'need for change', the question I would ask is why change an assessment considered to be one of the best in the world? Changes in welfare aren't peculiar to Tory governments either, indeed it was Labour who was responsible for implementing the now controversial Work Capability Assessment. Again it's hard to understand why, in Parliament MP Margaret Hodge was still praising the previous assessment in December 2005:
"The Personal Capability Assessment is acknowledged as being one of the most comprehensive benefit assessment processes in use anywhere in the world"
You can read more of the defence of the Personal Capability Assessment from this Parliamentary record on Hansard. With all the praise poured on the Personal Capability Assessment by both sides of the house you have to ask; - why change it?
Yes, that's the question we should be asking. Why would you want to change an assessment for Incapacity Benefit which was once deemed to be the 'best in the world'?
We'll be taking a look at the history of Incapacity Benefit, the All Work Test, the Personal Capability Assessment and it's troubled current day successor ' the Work Capability Assessment'...