Criticism of the Work Capability Assessment thereby saving £7billion a year. A reassessment of long-term recipients was expected to start in 2009 but the start was delayed until 2011 while the test's criteria were reviewed. In 2012, the DWP's handling of its contract with Atos was the subject of a critical report by the National Audit Office (NAO). The Public Accounts Committee heard that in that year the DWP had paid Atos £112m to carry out WCAs. The chair of the committee told the BBC that the DWP got "far too many decisions wrong on claimants’ ability to work" and that this came at a "considerable
Criticism of the Work Capability Assessment Criticism of the Work Capability Assessment The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is used by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in the United Kingdom to assess Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims and some claims for Universal Credit. Concerns have been raised over its design, its reliability in practice, its value-for-money, and the effect of wrong decisions on vulnerable claimants.Citizens Advice said of it: "Bureau advisers have expressed grave concern at the number of people unexpectedly being found fit for work". In response to criticism, the DWP said a group of outside experts had studied the test and concluded