Victory for Hazel Macrae – DWP u-turns on decision that blind disabled woman is fit for work
Hazel MacRae from Byker, who has won her case against the DWP [Image: Newcastle Chronicle].
The DWP has reversed its decision in an unusually hasty about-face. Was the publicity getting a bit rough, guys?
The joy of it is that people still aren’t letting this go. Check out some of the comments on the Chronicle story detailing the happy news:
Here’s Longsufferingfan: “This is not an unusual occurrence, about 60% + of people who are rejected win on appeal. the System is set up to reject people and hope that they don’t appeal. It needs overhauling but so far the Govt are happy with the way it is performing as it works in their favour!”
And Ruiseart adds: “This woman is just one of many, many thousands of people who the government has directed the DWP and the assessment companies to declare “fit for work” in an attempt to save money on the welfare bill.
“Examining the figures shows that had they left every person they declared “fit” alone, and not tried to deny their disabilities, they would have spent £millions LESS!
“The whole assessment regime is designed to fail the people the DWP is supposed to be helping and it should be scrapped and the people behind it should be hauled up before a court and charged with MULTIPLE MURDER!”
Feel free to add your own observations, here or on the Chronicle‘s site.
Blind and epileptic Hazel MacRae has won her appeal after a public outcry was sparked when she was deemed ‘fit for work’.
The 62-year-old received the good news on Wednesday after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) performed a u-turn.
Hazel’s fight made headlines across the country after the Chronicle revealed how she had been classed as fit for work despite being blind since birth and suffering with epilepsy, Type 2 Diabetes and osteoarthritis.
But that decision has now been reversed, and Hazel, of Walker, could not be happier.
She said: “I can’t thank the Chronicle enough for their help . The support I have been getting is fantastic.”
Source: Victory: Blind Hazel Macrae wins her fight after she was deemed fit for work by DWP – Chronicle Live
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time to introduce the crime of “GENOCIDE BY FINANCIAL MEANS”???
This has to be the right decision, but Hazel should make sure that she publicises any further attempts to harass her into another assessment! It’s both brave souls like this and honest media that can change this abomination of a system.
A claimant on ESA who fails the DWP assessment must now open a claim for mandatory reconsideration, Before they are allowed to appeal. – This consideration can take several months, in which time the claimant is left WITHOUT ANY FORM OF INCOME!
In the meantime “the claimant” can be ordered to attend a jobseeker’s back to work interview, even though “the claimant” is still in possession of a doctors exemption certificate.
Every single case that us overturned or has a complaint or mandatory reconsideration should involve a independant case review by experts by experience in the condition backed up by professional support such as PALS Liason as used by NHS Trust’s and if there is wrong doing, either a conduct warning or if there are repeat cases or as in this instance mandatory reporting to the professional body to see who is fit for work, i f that means a warning on there record or supervision or striking of, so be it, only then will we reduce the amount of unfit wca assessors motivated by greed and not doing there role correctly, there is no responsibility and even though dwp backed of on this is there going to be a enquiry, don’t watch that space, this is a country that talks about zero suicide and self harm and then has this policy- Hypocrits, welcome to tory world
Fantastic result, but the system, and the Tories will just Carry On Regardless.