The Equality and Human Rights Commission is investigating the Department for Work and Pensions over suspicions it broke the law in its treatment of disabled benefits claimants. Announcing the probe as 'the strongest possible action' it could take, the
said it was looking into whether the department breached equalities law by failing to make reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities or long-term mental health conditions when carrying out assessments. The watchdog is also examining whether the DWP failed to prevent discrimination and consider its equality commitments during its daily operations - something required under public sector rules.
began looking at the department after a report by MPs in 2021 recommended a probe into the deaths of vulnerable claimants over the previous decade, including by suicide. And while the organisation's initial plan had been for the DWP to sign a legally binding agreement to address its concerns, it has now upped the stakes to a formal investigation.
chairwoman Baroness Kishwer Falkner said her organisation was 'extremely worried about the treatment of some disabled benefits claimants by the DWP', adding: 'We suspect the secretary of state's department may have broken equality law. 'We have decided we need to take the strongest possible action and that's why we've launched this investigation.