Research conducted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has found the process of claiming disability benefits is adversely affecting claimants’ health. Reports published earlier this week found that in some instances, the application procedure had even “triggered periods of ill health” among applicants.
This research was initiated by the previous government and involved discussions with thousands who had applied for Personal Independent Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and the health components of Universal Credit.
According to findings reported by the Big Issue, one in three individuals (32%) struggled to convey the impact of their health condition on their daily life, and 39% believed that their disability benefits assessor failed to grasp this.
Participants were most likely to express doubts about telephone or video assessments (38% each) and less so about face-to-face (28%). Across all channels, PIP claimants were least confident that an assessor would be able to accurately assess their condition.
DWP said its “qualitative interviews” uncovered that the assessment was “a significant event for participants which they found preparing for, and attending, stressful”. It comes as the government considers reforms that would mean lower benefits or higher work-search conditions for almost half a million people by 2028/29.
The DWP’s findings show people are already facing anxiety ahead of applications and assessments. One man with multiple sclerosis (MS) said: “When asked questions like how far I can walk without crutches, I doubled the length that I could actually walk. I was embarrassed to reveal that I can’t walk far. MS can also lead to bladder control issues. It’s really hard to say that to a stranger.”
Another claimant recalled her experience with an assessor who was “very abrupt and asked a lot of questions that I didn’t understand, so I kept looking at my fiancé and asking him to put them in a language that I could understand and sometimes he answered for me. I think she was getting a bit frustrated because I kept doing that”.