Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) personal independence payments and (b) employment and support allowance assessments undertaken by (i) ATOS, (ii) Capita, and (iii) Maximus which have resulted in a complaint in each of the last six years.
Assessment Providers have their own complaints process to deal with dissatisfaction about the service they provide. I am unable to provide figures solely about the ‘assessment undertaken’ therefore the figures below include all related complaints such as administrative, clinical, accommodation etc.
(i), (ii) Information on the number of complaints received by Independent Assessment Service (IAS), formally ATOS, and Capita are shown in the table below: -
Year | Complaints received by IAS (prev ATOS) | Complaints received by Capita | Total number of complaints received | Complaints as a percentage of assessments |
2013 | 390 | 940 | 1320 | 3.5% |
2014 | 3090 | 5890 | 8980 | 2.2% |
2015 | 2690 | 1826 | 4510 | 0.7% |
2016 | 3780 | 3000 | 6780 | 0.7% |
2017 | 5400 | 3530 | 8930 | 0.9% |
2018 | 5870 | 3490 | 9360 | 1.0% |
Source: Provider MI, figures rounded to nearest 10.
(iii) The Health Assessment Advisory Service is delivered on behalf of DWP by Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) which is a MAXIMUS company. Information on the number of complaints received by CHDA in relation to ESA and UC Work Capability Assessments is only available from quarter ending August 2016.
Quarter | Complaints received by CHDA | Complaints as a percentage of assessments |
Aug 16 | 1120 | 0.6% |
Nov 16 | 1170 | 0.7% |
Feb 17 | 1150 | 0.6% |
May 17 | 1230 | 0.7% |
Aug 17 | 1190 | 0.6% |
Nov 17 | 1140 | 0.6% |
Feb 18 | 1010 | 0.5% |
May 18 | 1020 | 0.6% |
Aug 18 | 980 | 0.5% |
Nov 18 | 970 | 0.5% |
Feb 19 | 950 | 0.5% |
May 19 | 930 | 0.5% |
Source: Provider MI, figures rounded to nearest 10