Rishi Sunak’s plans to move assessment for fitness to work away from GPs to ‘specialist work and health professionals’ is “very concerning”, Epilepsy Action has said.
The concerns follow an announcement today (April 19, 2024) made by the prime minister during a speech at The Centre for Social Justice.
In the speech, Sunak said that if the Tories win the general election, he wants to strip GPs of the power to sign people off work and tackle the UK’s “sick note culture”.
Epilepsy Action’s senior policy and campaigns manager Daniel Jennings said: “It is very concerning that the government is considering moving assessing fitness to work away from GPs to ‘specialist work and health professionals’.
“We saw the problems people with epilepsy experienced with personal independence payment (PIP) assessors who simply did not understand the condition. They are many disabled people who with the right support could work, but this is not it.”
Sunak’s speech also outlined plans to reduce benefit payments to people out of work with mental health conditions, saying these could be replaced by treatment or access to services.
Many people with epilepsy also have mental health conditions. Around a third of people with epilepsy also get depression. This is nearly three times as much as the general population.
Sunak said he was launching a consultation into PIP. Epilepsy Action said it was yet to hear what this means for people with epilepsy, but will continue to campaign to make the process work for them.
Jennings added: “Many people with epilepsy are not getting the help and support they need through PIP, and so while changes are required to make the process better for people with epilepsy, taking money away during a cost-of-living crisis is not the answer.
“Lots of people with epilepsy want to work, but we need more support and a change in attitudes from employers, not more punitive measures targeted at the most vulnerable.”
If you have concerns about disability benefits or PIP, you contact our helpline on 0808 800 5050.
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