Page 18 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making

Assessment, the Independent Reviews of the Personal Independence
13
14
Payment Assessment the Independent Reviews of the Personal Independent
15
Payment assessment Process in Northern Ireland and reports of a variety of
non-governmental organisations.

1.5 However, in spite of these reports and the efforts of many organisations and
individuals, many recommendations remain unimplemented and the issues
with the benefits system persist. Further, the economic fall-out from the
pandemic has seen a huge rise in the number of people applying for, and in
receipt of, benefits. In the space of a two-week period from 20 March to 2
April 2020,
1.1 million applications for UC were made, over 10 times the weekly average
16
for the preceding year. With increased unemployment and the full economic
impact of the pandemic still yet to be felt due to the ongoing furlough scheme,
the need to ensure a fair benefits system that is accessible and makes timely
and accurate decisions is greater than ever.

1.6 We are also aware that the DWP is working on a Health and Disability Green
Paper which aims to explore how the welfare system can better meet the
needs of disabled people and those with health conditions. This is due to be
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published this summer. We hope that the recommendations in this report
will help inform the work currently being done by the DWP to improve the

13 Professor M. Harrington, An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment (2010);
Professor M. Harrington, An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment – year two
(2011); Professor M. Harrington, An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment – year
three (2012); Dr P. Litchfield, An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment – year four
(2013) Dr P. Litchfield, An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment- year five (2014).
14 P. Gray, An Independent Review of the Personal Independence Payment Assessment (2014); P. Gray,
The Second Independent Review of the Personal Independence Payment Assessment, (2017).
15 W. Rader, Personal Independence Payment - An Independent Review of the Assessment Process
(Northern Ireland) (2018); M. Cavanagh, Personal Independence Payment – A Second Independent
Review of the Assessment Process (December 2020).
16 Weekly average claims for year to 12 March 2020 was 54,000. DWP, ‘Universal Credit statistics, 29
April 2013 to 14 January 2021’, February 2021.
17 Justin Tomlinson MP, ‘Work and Pensions Committee Oral evidence: Disability employment gap,
HC 189’, May 2021, Q 260.

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