The fitness-for-work test used to determine whether hundreds of thousands of people are eligible to claim sickness benefits substantially disadvantages people with mental health conditions, a court has said, in a landmark ruling hailed as a significant victory by mental health charities.

A three-judge tribunal panel ruled that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had failed to make reasonable adjustments to ensure people with mental health problems were treated fairly by the system. This failure meant such claimants were placed at a substantial disadvantage, the judgment concluded.

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Paul Jenkins, CEO of Rethink Mental Illness, said: "This ruling proves once and for all that this cruel and unfair process is unlawful. The judges have independently confirmed what our members have been saying for years – the system is discriminating against some of the most ill and vulnerable people in our society, the very people it is meant to support.

http://m.guardiannews.com/society/2013/may/22/fitness-work-tests-mental-health-unfair