FIT-for-work tests are not fit for purpose.

That is the view of North-East MPs who are calling on the Government to tackle mounting concerns that a system for getting people off benefit has heaped misery and hardship on thousands of claimants.

The Northern Echo shares those concerns.

The private company which runs the scheme has been blamed for delivering a poor service and missing key targets, despite spiralling costs.

Basically, a system that is supposed to help cut public welfare spending has been delivering poor value for taxpayers.

The Work Capability Assessments are given to sick and disabled people attempting to claim Employment and Support Allowance, the replacement for incapacity benefits. French firm Atos lost the contract to carry out the tests after it ruled sick people were okay to work and it delivered poor service and value. Maximus, its replacement, has also been criticised.

Earlier this year, the National Audit Office found the number of completed assessments were still below target despite an expected doubling of the cost to the taxpayer of the contracts for disability benefit assessments. Auditors said that nearly one in 10 of the reports on disability benefit claimants have been rejected as below standard by the Government compared to 1 in 25 before Atos left its contract.

In addition, the system has been criticised for sanctioning people with serious physical and mental health issues.

Earlier this week, for example, a stroke victim said she was told she must undergo a backto-work test while she was still in a hospital stroke unit.

Cases of people with Alzheimer’s, severe arthritis and blindness being deemed fit-forwork have also been reported.

The Government’s testing system is failing the acid test of value, quality and fairness.