"We deserve to be protected"

Some of society's most vulnerable are fighting back against a system of abuse

By Matthew Kefford
@keffordmatt

The people running disability benefit assessments are incompetent and abusive, according to those who have been forced to experience them.

Jennifer Jones, a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimant from Sheffield, experienced first hand how poor disability assessments can be.

She said: "The lady who assessed me couldn't even pronounce my condition, she didn't know what it was."

Jennifer, who couldn't give me her real name because she feared the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) would find out and revoke her benefit payments, suffers with stress incontinence.

She recalled one traumatic experience, where she was forced to sit in her own urine for half an hour by an assessor who wouldn't let her go to the toilet.

For her and the many others claiming PIP, the benefits are needed to help with the cost of living with ongoing health problems.

PIP are for those suffering with long term health conditions or disabilities but who are still capable of work. Payments range from £23.20 to £148.85 per week.

But to qualify potential claimants must be assessed to see what level of help they would need, first by answering a questionnaire then having a face to face meeting with an assessor.

The DWP tells applicants: "You'll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get."

The reality however is that these assessments often result in experiences like Jennifer's. With claimants subjected to abuse, bullying and incompetence and many being denied the support they need.

Jen, from DPAC Sheffield, posing with Robby from DPAC Liverpool (Photo: DPAC Sheffield)

Jen, from DPAC Sheffield, posing with Robby from DPAC Liverpool (Photo: DPAC Sheffield)

Jennifer told stories of other claimants being asked questions like: "When exactly did you catch Bipolar?", or, "How long have you had Autism?".

"The phrase subpar doesn't come near to describing them"

The shocking tales, which come as no surprise to people familiar with the system, highlight the incompetence of the people sent to make these life altering decisions.

"The phrase subpar doesn't come near to describing them," Jennifer said. But this incompetence costs lives.

In November 2019, Metro reported the tragic death of a man who had his PIP cut by the DWP and died of pneumonia and respiratory failure while appealing the decision.

The figures for those whose PIP claims are overturned when appealing at tribunal highlight the extent that these assessments are failing those in need.

Last year, the Mirror found that 16,337 people overturned their PIP decisions at Tribunal between January and March. Of the 21,995 cases sent to Tribunal, 74% were overturned.

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Now Jennifer, a member of the grassroots organisation Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), based in Sheffield, along with other claimants with similar experiences, has started #OnTheRecord, a campaign "by disabled people, for disabled people."

"By disabled people, for disabled people"

#OnTheRecord seeks to put a stop to assessment failures by "putting PIP on the record," making sure every assessment is recorded, which is a right under DWP policy.

This is difficult, though, because of the strict criteria governing what recording equipment can be used.

DWP policy doesn't allow the use of phones, computers or cameras and recording equipment can not be digital. In this increasingly digital world, only a CD or Cassette tape are acceptable.

To make matters even more complex, recording equipment must produce two identical, audio-only records - one for the claimant and one for the assessor. The double tape recorders used by Police when questioning suspects would qualify, other than that claimants would have to bring along two identical CD or cassette recorders.

Jennifer said: "They are throwing up obstacles for us.

"They are making conscious choices and decisions to treat us this way."

To combat this, #OnTheRecord raises money to buy recording kits, which they then lend out to people with an upcoming assessment.

Since beginning in September last year, the campaign has taken off, with money raised for kits to be available across the UK.

Other charities, including the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre (DUWC) and Equal Lives in Norfolk, have supported the campaign.

#OnTheRecord has also gained support in parliament. Emma Hardy, MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, recently made an appeal to the government to reveal its plans to help PIP claimants.

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, said: "There's a huge mistrust between people with disabilities and the Department for Work and Pensions.

"Changing their approach to recording would go a small way to improving this."

For the hundreds of people who have been able to record their assessments through the campaign, they can feel secure that their assessors can be held to account.

"I feel safer knowing that what I said cannot be altered in any way"

John from Sheffield, who was the first to use an #OnTheRecord recording kit, said: "I feel safer knowing that what I said cannot be altered in any way."

For Jennifer though, the success of the campaign is a start, but there is still a lot more to do.

"There is absolutely no need for the way they do things, we are some of the most vulnerable people in society and we should be protected."

For her and the many others who make up the campaign, the end goal is to have the assessments scrapped altogether.

With the topic being brought up in Parliament recently, it looks like things could be heading in the right direction. But for a group of people who have constantly felt let down by the government, having faith it will do the right thing does not come easily.

Richard Burgon (Shadow Secretary for Justice & Shadow Chancellor) supporting the campaign (Photo: DPAC Sheffield)

Richard Burgon (Shadow Secretary for Justice & Shadow Chancellor) supporting the campaign (Photo: DPAC Sheffield)

Rebecca Long-Bailey (Labour Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) gives her support for #OffTheRecord (Photo: DPAC Sheffield)

Rebecca Long-Bailey (Labour Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) gives her support for #OffTheRecord (Photo: DPAC Sheffield)

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