The national disability charity, Sense, responds to the Work and Pensions Committee’s new report, ‘Health Assessments for Benefits’, published today, which finds that the system “continues to let down those who rely on it”.
Sense, who support people living with complex disabilities, and provided evidence to the committee, urges the government to act on the committee’s findings.
Richard Kramer, Sense Chief Executive, said:
“Benefits are a lifeline for many disabled people, especially those with more complex needs, who may be unable to work or who face extra costs because of their disability.
But too often we hear from disabled people who have a negative experience of the benefits system, with poorly handled assessments leading to the wrong result, leaving them and their families upset and struggling to make ends meet.
The committee are correct in their findings and it’s essential that we address a broken system that currently lets down too many of the people it exists to support.
The government is proposing to update its assessment system in a few years’ time – a vital opportunity to make sure people with disabilities are getting the benefits that they are entitled to. But we cannot sit back and wait, especially with the additional challenges people face, such as the cost of living. The government must make the benefits system fairer by acting now on the committee’s findings.”
