“Fit for work” tests are “significantly biased” against claimants in poor areas of the country, new research seen exclusively by the Guardian shows. As such, anyone subsequently found fit for work by a work capability assessment had been previously identified as having a significant health problem. The findings are particularly relevant in light of the government’s impending cut of £30 a week for many new ESA claimants, due to take effect next year. It further shows that, counterintuitively, healthier areas found claimants fit for work less often, and placed claimants into the support group more frequently, than areas with higher rates of disability and illness. Related: The new fit for work tests are not fit for purpose – and at double the cost | Frances RyanThe study analyses government data from over 300 local authorities between 2007 and 2015 and is published next week in the journal Radical Statistics.

Source: The Guardian August 09, 2016 13:00 UTC