Benefit talks ‘snub’ for service users

Mental health charities have accused the government of failing to adequately involve service users in drawing up a new capability test for incapacity benefit.

The Department for Work and Pensions wants to update the personal capability assessment in its incapacity benefit reforms.

Both Rethink and Mind say the department has set up an expert group, mainly of doctors, to consider the mental health aspect of the changes, with service users and charities only in a consultative role.

But a DWP spokesperson said the claim was “disingenuous” because several groups were considering particular issues, ensuring more people could be involved and no group had more importance than another.