Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage urged the Government to ensure that Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims have the medical evidence needed to ensure that they are dealt with fairly and efficiently during Questions to the Department of Work and Pensions today.
ESA claims are made by individuals who receive benefits as a result of ill health or disability and are assessed by work capability evaluators, ATOS. During a visit to the ATOS Assessment Centre in Portsmouth last week, Caroline learned firsthand how the claims system and medical evaluation process works, and how vital evidence often only comes to light once a claim has already been rejected and is going through the appeal process.
The local MP asked:
"A high percentage of ESA claims have been won on appeal because the claimant produced evidence that hadn't previously been made available. What can the Department do to encourage all relevant documents to be provided from the outset to save unnecessary cost and emotional stress?"
The Minister of State for Employment, Mark Hoban, responding on behalf of the Government, said:
"My Honourable Friend makes an important point and what we do is we do ask claimants when we send out the ESA 50 forms to contact GPS, consultants, to get the right medical information back in, to help our decision makers reach the right outcome. But I would encourage GPs and others to take more time to get these returns sent in quickly so that we've got the best information possible to make those decisions."
Speaking outside the chamber, Caroline added:
"I was keen to visit ATOS to better understand the process that some of my constituents have to go through in order to receive ESA. I was shocked to hear that these cases are often drawn out simply because the necessary medical documents aren't produced when the case first opens – sometimes because GP Surgeries or Specialists don't return their reports in time for the ESA Medical Assessment. I welcome the Government's commitment to work in partnership with claimants and members of the medical profession in order to obtain the correct information as early as possible."