There’s a reason people created cartoons like this.

Yes, wearing Wellington boots is just one of the reasons Atos/Capita assessors have denied Employment and Support Allowance to benefit claimants at work capability assessments.

A commenter has suggested that This Writer should compile a list of such ridiculous, trumped-up, nonsense charges, to demonstrate the silliness of the WCA system.

I want examples of reasons used to justify giving a claimant nil points on the assessment reports themselves. My commenter provided several examples but they are hearsay – I want people to provide the reasons from their actual reports.

Just to give a taster of the nightmare world of the WCA, the examples my commenter offered included:

• “Owns a fish.”
• “Has dyed hair.”
• “Did a course 20 years ago.”
• “Opened a door.”
• “Had a handbag.”
• “Wiped their eye.”
• “Has nails varnished.”
• “Had tanned skin” (regardless of  nationality).
• “Had a haircut/was shaven.”
• “Lies outside to eat lunch.”
• “Smiled.”
• “Scratched their back.”
• “Was a smoker without yellowed fingers.”
• “No visible bulge from an incontinence pad.”
• “Has an outdoor toilet.”
• “Wiped nose.”
• “Can use a phone.”
• “Can use a bus.”
• “Remembered to bring medical evidence.”
• “Handed over medical evidence.”
• “Held eye contact.”
• “Did not hold eye contact.”
• “Drank some water.”

These assessments are not reliant on medical grounds. They aren’t particularly based on functional ability either because informal observations made by the assessor – which are, generally, lies – are given “paramount importance”, and override any medical evidence or statement from the claimant. It’s all a horrific sham from beginning to end.

It’s time to expose that sham.

If you have attended a work capability assessment and were given a nonsense reason your benefit was denied, please help.

If I’ve done this right, a ‘contact form’ should appear below. Please use it to provide details of your own WCA experience.

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