Communities Department Capita 'assessment' contract decision slammed

The decision by the Department for Communities (DfC) to re-appoint Capita to carry out assessments for Child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) has been slammed by local anti-poverty campaigner, Sinéad Quinn.

Capita will also carry out assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC).

Ms Quinn, who is herself chronically ill and disabled, said it was “absolutely despicable” Capita had been awarded a further social security contract in the North.

She added: “This is a disgraceful decision coming as it has in the wake of the June 2021 Own Initiative Report by the Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman (NIPSO) into PIP, which highlighted ‘systematic maladministration’ in Capita’s approach to PIP assessments.

“At that time we were promised by DfC minister, Deirdre Hargey, the assessments would be brought in-house. 

“However, Capita’s contract has been renewed for PIP assessments and, in addition, it will now be carrying out assessments for ESA, UC, and Child DLA. This is disgusting. 

“PIP claimants, adults with disabilities, already live in exceptional fear and stress when it comes to undergoing Capita assessments. In most cases, these take place every three years so people like myself can have a ‘breather’ in between each reassessment. However, in addition, we will now have Capita assessing us for UC and ESA to see how fit we are for work,” said Sinéad.

According to Sinéad, fitness to work assessments currently take place regularly on an annual basis.

“The thought of having to run the Capita gauntlet every year, and twice in a PIP year, genuinely makes me feel sick,” said Sinéad. “Just thinking about it has already increased my stress levels.”

Sinéad, the former spokesperson for the now dissolved Derry Against Fuel Poverty campaign said “private companies should not be enabled to profit off the misery of sick and disabled people.

She added: “Over assessing people who are chronically ill and disabled is a waste of taxpayer money.

“This cruel Tory government knows no bounds. Capita will be filling its boots and terrorising the vulnerable at the same time. For this government, it kills two birds with one stone.

For us, it is horrific. The impact on the mental health of claimants will be huge and so far, we have not heard one word of opposition from any of our elected representatives,” said Sinéad.

Sineád said it was astonishing local politicians were completely ignoring the “comprehensive and damning indictment” of Capita published recently by the  Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) group.

PPR was founded in 2006 in Belfast and Dublin, by revered trade unionist, Inez McCormack. 

Sinéad added: “In the PPR report, author Chloë Trew quoted Mary McManus, the former director of East Belfast Independent Advice Centre; the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and the Right to Work Right to Welfare Group, in relation to assessments carried out by Capita.

“Ms McManus said it was not uncommon for people to be awarded zero points at their DfC / Capita assessment, only to have an independent tribunal panel award them enough points to qualify for the highest rate of the benefit at the tribunal hearing.

“The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also concluded that ‘the needs, views and personal histories of persons with disabilities were not taken into account or given appropriate weight [by Capita] in the decisions affecting them.

“Finally, the Right to Work Right to Welfare Group found that Capita’s processes ‘resulted in worse mental health, increased poverty and a lack of due process among people making claims.’ When can we expect to hear any objections from our politicians to the fact Capita is now carrying out assessments for Child Disability Living Allowance here?” said Sinéád Quinn.

In relation to the Ombudsman’s report, Own Initiative Report, which was followed up in May 2023, a spokesperson for the Department for Communities told Derry News: “The Department is fully committed to continuing to improve service delivery, including support for claimants.

“The recent NIPSO follow-up report acknowledged the considerable action undertaken by the Department to implement its recommendations.

 “We remain focused on driving forward positive change for our customers, working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and all our stakeholders.”

The Department of Work and Pensions referred Derry News to the Health Transformation Programme update given on May 25, 2023, by British Minister for State for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove.

Speaking on the “outcome of the procurement of new health and disability benefit assessment contracts – the ‘Functional Assessment Services’ contracts – for the period 2024 to 2029,” Mr Pursglove said: “These important new contracts have been subject to a rigorous and competitive process in line with public contract regulations.

“This represents a positive step forward in delivering our ambitions for disabled people and people with health conditions. It shows that this Government is committed to delivering a more effective health and disability system for people now and in the future.”

The Department added that it had “conducted an open and transparent procurement under the Public Contract Regulations and in line with Government policies.  

“[And] an evaluation process was undertaken, which evaluated bids based on a combination of quality and pricing to achieve the most economically advantageous tender for each geographical area.”