Debbie Abrahams MP, Shadow Minister for Disabled People, commenting on the report from the National Audit Office showing that the DWPs outsourced health and disability assessments are in a ‘cycle of optimistic targets, contractual underperformance and costly recovery’, said:

“This report highlights the shambles the Tories have made of outsourcing health and disability assessments. The independent experts at the NAO have rightly shown that under this government the system, like so many other projects, is stuck in a cycle of underperformance.

“Too many disabled people have been badly let down by these assessments and this research shows that it’s not only been costly for those who’ve been mistreated, but all taxpayers. It’s yet another example of incompetence from the DWP and a thorough overhaul of the systems is desperately needed.”

It comes only weeks after another analysis revealed between 2010 and 2013, the Work Capability Assessment was independently associated with an additional 590 suicides. How much more evidence does the Government need before they get that the system is not fit for purpose and needs a complete overhaul?’