End the Fit For Work tests as not fit for purpose, and investigate 9,580 deaths.

The DWPs 'Fit For Work' tests are not fit for purpose, and are routinely abused to cause stress and harm to vulnerable people.

From Dec 2011 to Feb 2014, 2,380 people died shortly after being declared 'fit for work' and having their benefits stopped. I call on the House to hear their stories.

In the same period, 9,200 people in receipt of ESA were found 'fit to work in future' and died shortly afterwards. These statistics are from a Freedom Of Information request to the DWP.

I call on the House to hear their stories, and to abolish this test. To allow GPs opinions to override that of a 'decision maker' with no medical qualifications. And to investigate how 2,380 people were declared fit enough to work and financially penalised, when they were not fit enough to live, let alone work.

We are consulting on further reform of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). On 31 October we launched a Green Paper consultation on how we can further improve the process, such as through separating decisions on financial support from decisions on employment support. We are also consulting on how we can simplify and streamline assessments - particularly for those with the most severe health conditions and disabilities. Over the coming months we will be consulting with disabled people and those who have health conditions, as well as with carers, families, professionals, and a range of organisations who, like us, want to see further change.

While reforming the welfare system so that the greatest number of people possible have the opportunity to lead a full and fulfilling life in work, we are protecting those who, through disability or ill health, are unable to work. We are conscious that it is of vital importance that while supporting so many people in such a range of circumstances, we treat every individual with the dignity and humanity they deserve.

There are circumstances in which we carry out internal reviews to establish whether anything related to an individual’s benefit claim should have been done differently. These could include cases where a complaint has been made by somebody who has been identified as vulnerable, or where we receive information that an individual has attempted or completed suicide and it is alleged that Departmental activity may have contributed to this – in these latter circumstances a review is mandatory.