WCA

Atos assessment - quality dives and government introduces competition

Tue, 23/07/2013 - 12:37 -- nick

The government is to make a radical change in the way work capability assessments (WCA) are carried out following more criticism of the unpopular tests.

WCAs are in place to work out whether disabled and long term sick people are capable of working.

Until now French company Atos has held the only government contract to carry out the WCA, but the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) appears to have lost patience with the business and has confirmed it will invite other providers to bid for the work.

Tags: 
Unemployment
unemployed
government
Atos
WCA
fit-to-work assessment

MPs criticise Work Capability Assessment

Fri, 08/02/2013 - 12:03 -- nick

MPs on the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee have criticised the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), the test to find out whether disabled and long-term sick people are fit for work.

The committee found that successful appeals against WCA decisions were running at 38%, far in excess of the figure expected through human error.

The chair of the committee, Labour's Margaret Hodge, said the test was hurting the "most vulnerable" and accused the government of being "unduly complacent" in appearing to treat appeals as part of the process despite the anxiety they caused.

Tags: 
Unemployment
work capability assessment
WCA
Employment
Mark Hoban
Margaret Hodge
Disabled
disability

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