The Creation of Preventable Harm

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is a key element of the UK Government's welfare policy and has caused preventable harm and suicide by disabled people.

Social Policy Brief

Author: Mo Stewart

From the Executive Summary:

The Preventable Harm Project (the Project) ran for ten years and closed in November 2019, with the evidence identified within the Project findings widely promoted during 2019/20. The Project identified the bipartisan political ambition to eventually remove the UK welfare state, to be replaced by private income replacement health insurance. In order to remove the welfare state, it was first necessary to remove the psychological security provided by the welfare state. This was achieved by the adoption of a flawed disability assessment model, and the manipulation of the general public aided by the tabloid press, that successfully demonised claimants of disability benefit(s). Large numbers of suicides linked to the adoption of the Work Capability Assessment are overlooked by the Department for Work and Pensions, and successive Rule 43 ‘prevention of future deaths’ Coroners’ reports, highlighting the link between the Work Capability Assessment and suicides, have also been disregarded. The Work Capability Assessment was fatally flawed by design and should be abolished, and the departmental intimidation of disability benefit claimants should be outlawed.

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The publisher is Mo Stewart.

Social Policy Abused: The Creation of Preventable Harm © Mo Stewart 2021.

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Documents

Paper | 16.03.21

disability, social justice, tax and benefits, England, Paper

Mo Stewart

England

Independent Disability Studies Researcher

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