The proposed universal credit benefit will leave single parents and the seriously ill considerably worse off, say charities
The new benefits system will cause financial hardship to some of the people least able to cope, warn advisers and charities ? and problems have already begun. Under plans announced by David Cameron, from 2013 a new single benefit called the universal credit will replace means-tested benefits, while the personal independent payment (PIP) will replace the non-means tested disability living allowance. The aim is to simplify payments to the unemployed, ill and those on a very low income.
Although the government claims 2.7m households will be better off through the introduction of the universal credit alone, it admits 1.7m will get less money than now.
Sue Royston, social policy officer with Citizens Advice, warns that single parents paying for formal childcare could see a substantial reduction in their benefits. She says: "At the moment a lone parent who chooses to go into work not only gets help with childcare costs through working tax credits, but also 'hidden help' through housing and council tax benefit. When they apply for these benefits, parents have to say how much they pay for childcare and may qualify for more council tax and housing benefit as a result. We don't think this extra help will continue with the universal credit."
People who suffer sudden illness ? such as a diagnosis of cancer or a stroke ? can currently claim disability living allowance after three months. But following the introduction of PIP in 2013, they will have to wait six months.
Most worrying, benefits advisers warn that some people are already suffering as a result of changes to reassessment ? even before legislation is passed.
Success of the new system in reducing costs for the government will largely depend on regular reassessment of claimants and their fitness to return to work.
The government wants to reduce the number of people claiming a sickness benefit. It intends to reassess almost everyone on incapacity benefit, a payment to those unable to work because of illness, many of whom have not been assessed for years, to decide their eligibility for employment support allowance (ESA), a benefit introduced in 2008. It also aims to reassess those already on ESA more regularly ? anything from every three months to two years.
To those who are fit and capable, going through a reassessment may not sound too onerous. But benefits advisers ? and even the government's own reviewer of work-related benefits Professor Malcolm Harrington ? have been highly critical of the work capability assessment (WCA). To qualify for benefit, a claimant must notch up 15 points ? but people are often awarded none, to the shock and disbelief of their GPs and consultants.
Problems, many of which were revealed in a recent Citizens Advice report, Not Working, include:
? Seriously ill people are inappropriately subjected to the WCA. Information supplied by claimants' own doctors is routinely ignored.
? The assessment does not effectively measure fitness for work. It does not take account of variable symptoms, generalised pain and exhaustion, nor the seriousness of an underlying condition.
? Advisers report rushed assessments, answers being filled in without questions even being asked, and poor recognition of mental health problems. The assessors are not even necessarily qualified doctors.
Not surprisingly, 40% of appeals against WCAs are upheld ? rising to 70% if the claimant has representation at the appeal.
Citizens Advice says: "These problems create major difficulties for our clients and undermine the government's aims for ESA. People with serious illnesses and disabilities are being found fit for work. Others who might, with support, be helped into work are 'written off' by being found fit for work and therefore ineligible for ESA. Many people are too ill to sign on, or are not eligible for any other benefit, and so are left with reduced incomes and no help or support to find work."
The government says it will introduce changes to the WCA recommended by Harrington from April. The Department for Work and Pensions says: "We expect [this] will make the WCA a fairer and more effective assessment, and will ultimately result in a decrease in the number of decisions going to appeal.
"We will make sure that as many of the recommendations as possible are in place before we start reassessing incapacity benefit claimants next year, and Professor Harrington will continue to monitor, review and improve the WCA." But Citizens Advice doubts this will solve all the problems ? and in the meantime claimants are still being subjected to sub-standard assessments.
Serena Teesdale, an adviser with Citizens Advice in East Staffordshire, is already seeing vulnerable claimants distressed by the pressure of assessments.
She said: "I've got clients ? two with brain damage ? who are now being recalled for reassessments every three months. Their condition is very unlikely to change, so reassessing them must be costing more than it's saving. Mean-spirited is hardly the word for it."
One client ? a father of two who is on incapacity benefit because of various physical problems, memory loss and speech problems following a seizure ? has been through two assessments in four months. Although his condition has worsened, he previously failed an assessment and had his benefit reduced while he waited months for an appeal.
He said: "When you win the appeal, which I did, you do get the money back as a lump sum, but it's difficult managing while you wait.
"It's very stressful going in for the assessments, not knowing whether you are going to get the money to feed your children. When I came out last week the doctor said: 'You'll not be passing next time unless you're on a stretcher. It's not medical now, it's political.'"
How it works now
Those unable to work through illness have, since October 2008, received the employment support allowance (ESA), designed to support claimants in their efforts to return to work.
Unlike incapacity benefit, which does not distinguish between the severity of claimants' illness and their potential to work, ESA splits people into different groups.
Those who the DWP believes could soon be helped back into work are expected to take part in interviews with a personal adviser and will get support to prepare them for going back to work. In return they get the ESA basic payment of �65.45 a week (equivalent to jobseeker's allowance) plus a work-related component of �25.95. Those whose illness or disability mean they are not expected to work are placed in the support group. They receive the basic �65.45 a week, plus a support component of �31.40.
If the DWP cancels a claimant's benefit on the grounds they no longer qualify, the claimant can appeal to a tribunal. But the process can take a year or more, and during that time the claimant will only receive the basic amount of ESA, �65.45, to put them in the same financial position as those on jobseeker's allowance.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/feb/20/benefit-system-hit-vulnerable-hardest
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