News

Last week, members of the House of Lords debated the Government'​s proposals to reform the Welfare System. Since the debate, doubts have been raised over some remarks made by Welfare Reform Minister Lord Freud in regard to the system for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), the successor to Incapacity Benefit.

His remarks about the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) –​ the process through which eligibility for ESA is decided –​ were disputed on Diary of a Benefits Scrounger, focussing on the following remarks:

1. "​The assessment was designed to take account of chronic and fluctuating conditions. It is not intended to be a snapshot but looks at what someone can do reliably, repeatedly and safely."​

2. "​It takes account of the effects of pain and fatigue."​

3. “​All available evidence, including that from GPs or specialists, is fully considered by the department'​s decision-makers."​

Were the remarks made by the Minister to Parliament an accurate reflection of the WCA process?

Read Full Facts conclusions here.