New figures which reveal that one in 14 incapacity claimants are unfit to work are “misleading”, according to Matthew Lester, director of operations at disability charity, Papworth Trust.

Figures out today from Department for Work and Pensions show 39% of claimants are fit to work, while more than a third drop their application before it is complete.

But Lester, also chair of Employment Related Services Association (ERSA), the trade body for organisations in the welfare-to-work sector, told Recruiter: “The statistic being talked about, that one in 14 people are not fit to work, is misleading.

“The work capability assessment looks at whether someone is ‘fit for work’ – it does not look at employability in the real world. A 57-year-old woman with learning difficulties who has never worked may pass the test as being fit to work, but whether there is a job suitable for her, particularly in the current economic climate, is another matter.

“There are also questions about how well the test is working. Charities and organisations such as the Papworth Trust and ERSA are working closely with the DWP to try to improve the accuracy of the test and to improve people’s experience of it. We think that everyone who is assessed should be given the support they need.”