An Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) was designed to focus on a person's capability rather than their incapacity.

It distinguishes between those people who could work; those people who could work at some point with the right support (the Work-related Activity Group); and those people who cannot work (the Support Group).

In essence the WCA was designed to be a first positive step towards work for most people.

However this Review found that the WCA is not working as well as it should.

Interactions with both Jobcentre Plus and Atos are often impersonal, mechanistic and lack clarity; the Jobcentre Plus Decision Makers do not in practice make decisions but instead typically 'rubber stamp' the advice provided through Atos; some conditions are more difficult to assess than others; communication and feedback between the difference agencies and organisations involved is often fragmented.

Accordingly the key recommendations include: empowering and investing in Decision Makers; to account for the particular difficulties in assessing mental, intellectual and cognitive impairments by ensuring Atos employ 'champions' of these conditions in each Medical Examination Centre building more empathy into the process; improving transparency by ensuring each report contains a personalised summary of the Atos healthcare professional's recommendations;; and better communication and feedback.

Piloting of audio recording of Atos assessments is also suggested.

As the first of five annual reviews in the WCA this report also proposes a programme of work for the second review