Written evidence from the Trussell Trust (HAB0107) [House of Commons. Work and Pensions Committee. Health assessments for benefits inquiry]

Publication type

Parliamentary Paper

Publication date

May 11, 2022

Summary:

The Trussell Trust supports a network of food banks and together we provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. We support more than 1,300 food bank centres in the UK to provide a minimum of three days’ nutritionally-balanced emergency food to people who have been referred in crisis, as well as support to help people resolve the crises they face. The Trussell Trust wants to ensure that disabled people, and those with long-term health conditions, receive the support they need so that they are kept from falling into destitution and relying on short-term emergency support such as food banks. Health benefits play a critical role in preventing destitution and reducing the need for food banks. In the light of evidence that the Department for Work and Pension’s (DWP) assessments and decisions relating to disability benefits are often flawed, this response makes several recommendations to improve the assessment process. With the publication of the recent Departmental consultation ‘Shaping Future Support’, this is a timely inquiry. We hope to see DWP consider the evidence submitted to the Work and Pensions Committee in any future White Paper on the future of health and disability benefits.

Subjects

Links

- https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1468/health-assessments-for-benefits/publications/
- https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1468/health-assessments-for-benefits/publications/
- https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1468/health-assessments-for-benefits/publications/written-evidence/?page=2

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