Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Atos crisis: Fit-to-work checks shelved amid government contractor firm shambles


 People on Employment and Support Allowance will not be automatically retested until another firm can be brought into help, a leaked memo has revealed

Claims: Mike Penning
Ministers have been forced to halt medical checks on sick and disabled people because of the shambles engulfing hated firm Atos.

People on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will not be automatically retested until another firm can be brought into help, a leaked memo has revealed.

Only new claimants, those who say their circumstances have changed or people being moved over from Incapacity Benefit will have to undergo Work Capability Assessments.

Campaigners said that would mean thousands of people being spared the stressful and humiliating tests every week.

The revelation comes after Disability minister Mike Penning today admitted that the scheme was a “mess”.

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