Disability benefit assessments 'unfair', says ex-worker

In an interview with the BBC, Dr Wood says he believes Atos assessors are not free to make truly independent recommendations. 

 He said he felt compelled to speak out because it was "embarrassing to be associated with this shambles". 

"It's very unfair on the people making claims, they deserve a fair assessment and as a taxpayer I'm pretty cheesed off about the £100m plus that's being sprayed away on this dog's breakfast," he said.

The assessments - or fit to work tests - sparked protests from disability campaigners after their introduction in 2010. But Dr Wood has criticised some of the tests which he says contain "dubious concepts and shaky reasoning".

He claims assessors are told that if a claimant can walk from the kitchen to the sitting room, it proves they can walk 200m (650ft); and if a person can dress themselves once during the day that is proof they have enough concentration and motivation to hold down a job.

He insists these rules are not published in handbooks and guides, instead they are simply spoken about in training sessions.