Personal Independence Payments and Employments Support Allowance

During the second half of 2017, Healthwatch Brighton and Hove collated evidence from a number of local organisations to report on their experiences of supporting people through Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) assessment interviews. The report also contains a number of individual case studies and supporting organisational data and highlights the general issues and themes that emerged from this research.

Healthwatch approached four individuals and 29 local organisations that provide support to individuals going through these assessments. Some organisations existed as part of a wider partnership and in some cases a joint or shared response was issued; in other cases only some organisations within these partnerships responded to our request for information. Of the four individuals asked if they would be happy to speak directly to us, one individual agreed to do so.

The report addresses concerns around the assessors questioning styles, interpersonal skills, the level of specialist knowledge in the conditions to be assessed as well as the assessors approach to advocates. Concerns around the adequacy of current face-to-face assessments, cancellations of assessments and the increasing cost to applicants having to provide supporting medical evidence. The accessibility of the assessment centres and the failure to offer home visits is discussed as are the accuracy and quality of the PIP and ESA reports written after the face-to-face assessments. The refusal bias of assessment providers, and the number of these subsequently overturned on appeal is also noted.

Healthwatch Brighton and Hove believe that a number of the above concerns could be addressed through the provision of better, ongoing, and more comprehensive training of assessors. In this regard, a number of local organisations expressly stated that they would be happy to help deliver some focussed training to the assessment providers. Training should provide a good knowledge of so-called ‘hidden’ or non-physical conditions and their impacts; as well as training in specialist areas such as: mental health conditions; suicide awareness; visual impairment; complex needs, as well as LGBTQ affirmative practice. Improved training could also help to improve the quality and content of reports.

Healthwatch encouraged the assessment providers to undertake immediate reviews in the following areas and publish any outcomes:

- how requests for home visits are actioned. It is of paramount importance that reasonable adjustments are always made were these are justified.

- how cases are reviewed at Mandatory Reconsideration. It is important that a separate, review is undertaken by a different assessor and that the outcome clearly demonstrates how any additional evidence has been considered.

As there was no response from either of the assessment provider organisations, the report has been published and provided to the Brighton and Hove Health and Wellbeing Board without provider input.