Page 132 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

5.4 The findings of this Report demonstrate that the benefits system is not
working as well as it should for those with health conditions and disabilities,
in particular those with mental health conditions and fluctuating conditions.
We are aware that the DWP’s long awaited health and disability green paper
is expected shortly after the publication of this Report. We hope that this will
provide an opportunity for DWP to take on board the recommendations made
in this Report and improve the benefits system for those with health
conditions and disabilities. In particular, we have highlighted the problems
with health and disability assessments being conducted by under qualified,
outsourced providers. The Working Party’s view is that these would be
significantly improved if conducted by relevant public sector professionals
and the Health Transformation Programme pilot provides an opportunity to
assess the desirability and feasibility of this.

5.5 Throughout the course of the Working Party it was made clear to us that there
is often a significant gap between what DWP policy says is meant to be
happening on the one hand and claimants’ and advisers’ experience of the
benefits system on the other. We know that DWP has a quality assurance
process in place and provides staff with training. However, this is clearly
inadequate given the gap between policy and practice. DWP is the largest
Government department, and we acknowledge that monitoring and quality
control at that scale is difficult. Nevertheless, it is essential to prevent repeated
errors that cause immense hardship to people’s lives. That is why the Working
Party views the introduction of an independent regulator or inspector as vital.
A body external to, and independent of, the system would be better equipped
to identify systemic issues and ensure that changes are made to rectify these.

5.6 It is important that claimants who do not consider that they received the
correct decision first time are able to raise an effective challenge through a
system of redress that is accessible, fair and efficient. Despite improvements
to the mandatory reconsideration stage, the success rate on appeal remains
extremely high, indicating a continued failure to revise at the mandatory
reconsideration stage in numerous decisions. This problem is compounded by
the high attrition of claimants following the mandatory reconsideration stage,
the barriers that exist to obtaining a mandatory reconsideration decision, and
the overall length of time the process takes. On the other hand, we recognise
the value in having the DWP look again at decisions prior to the Tribunal

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