Council should decide who is fit to work - leader

Oldham Council wants to take responsibility for deciding if benefit claimants are fit for work.

It will use an eight-week consultation window on the controversial work capability assessments for the Overview and Scrutiny Board to take evidence.

Council leader Jim McMahon said: “We will lobby the Government to devolve powers to local governments to deal with this issue - because I firmly believe the Department of Work and Pensions is not fit for purpose in this respect.”