Today I joined 47 fellow MPs to support the ‘Disability Benefits Without the Fight’ campaign launched by Scope, the disability equality charity. Scope have been arguing for some time that disabled applicants to for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) should be assessed by people who are familiar with the health condition they’re evaluating – and our letter calls for the Government to give disabled people the right to request an appropriate medical assessor. 

I have been contacted by many constituents over the years who haven’t received payments to which they’re entitled because assessors have failed to understand the nature of their condition and how it can impact day to day life. It’s a particular problem for people with mental health issues and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, both because they are widely misunderstood and because symptoms can fluctuate. 

When these same applicants appeal these decisions, 72% of them who go to Tribunal over their PIP assessments were subsequently given benefits, and 66% of Work Capability Assessments were overturned on appeal. Ensuring that benefit claimants are assessed by someone who has the right skills and knowledge makes sense not only for the claimants but for the Government as well. 

You can find out more about Scope’s campaign here and see our letter below.