Recently, there has been some confusion in the press regarding the number of benefit claim decisions for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) that are overturned at appeal. While figures quoted by Atos Healthcare suggest that just 8 per cent of benefit decisions are reversed, one publication recently reported that as many as 70 per cent of contested claims have been overturned.
An independent website – Fullfacts.org – has now reviewed the statistical evidence available to clarify how many benefit claim decisions, of which one element of the information used is the Work Capability Assessments carried out by Atos Healthcare on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), are overturned at appeal. This website has awarded the Atos Healthcare figure of 8 per cent an accuracy rating of 4 out of 5. Please read on for more.
