New allegations about the fitness to work test

A doctor, previously employed by ATOS to deliver the Government's fitness to work test, has said the system is unfair, skewed against the claimant and twists medical knowledge.

Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of Scope, responds to these new allegations:

“It’s disturbing to hear what really goes on behind the closed doors of the Government’s fitness for work test.

“But it won’t come as a surprise to many disabled people.

“It will confirm their very worst fears about the toxic culture surrounding this assessment and do little to reassure them that decisions are being made in a fair and appropriate way.

“Over the last year this test has received criticism from the Public Accounts Committee and National Audit Office. We have also witnessed shocking undercover footage of how ATOS assessors are trained and heard horror stories of disabled people inappropriately found fit to work.

“There is no doubt that this test is broken and being delivered inappropriately.

“The Government needs to act.

"Most disabled people want to work but they face significant barriers, such as a lack of skills and experience, confidence and even negative attitudes from some employers.

"The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) ignores all the barriers disabled people face when it comes to finding a job, because it’s a tick-box test of someone’s medical condition.

"If the Government is serious about moving disabled people off benefits and into work, this test needs to look at all the barriers a disabled person faces when they are trying to get a job.”