Call for Evidence on the Migration from IB to ESA

The Broken of Britain is putting it's own evidence to the Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry into the Migration from IB to ESA. Individuals are encouraged to submit their own evidence, but the group submission will be made on behalf of all our members who are not able to do so.

Please tell us about your experience of the migration from IB to ESA - focusing on the information you received and what would have been useful, your experience of the WCA, and the outcomes for you. You can post responses here or e-mail rhydian@thebrokenofbritain.org

Below are the inquiry's full terms of reference:

* The Department’s communications to customers going through the assessment and whether the information, guidance and advice provided by the Department and Jobcentre Plus is effective in supporting customers through the process.
* The Work Capability Assessment including: the assessment criteria; the service provided by Atos staff; the suitability of assessment centres; and customers’ overall experience of the process.
* The decision-making process and how it could be improved to ensure that customers are confident that the outcome of their assessment is a fair and transparent reflection of their capacity for work.
* The appeals process, including the time taken for the appeals process to be completed; and whether customers who decide to appeal the outcome of their assessment have all the necessary guidance, information and advice to support them through the process.
* The outcome of the migration process and the different paths taken by the various client groups: those moved to Jobseeker’s Allowance, including the support provided to find work and the impact of the labour market on employment prospects; those found fit for work who may be entitled to no further benefits; those placed in the Work Related Activity Group of the ESA, including the likely impact of the Department’s decision to time-limit contribution-based ESA to a year; and those placed in the Support Group.
* The time-scale for the national roll-out for the migration process, including the Department’s capacity to introduce changes identified as necessary in the Aberdeen and Burnley trials.