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1185252

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to protect sick, elderly or disabled people in receipt of (a) employment support allowance, (b) personal independence payment and (c) universal credit from having to attend mandatory assessments or appointments in response to the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	30000
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As both the Prime Minister and Chancellor have made clear, the Government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by COVID 19 and we have been clear in our intention that no one should be penalised for doing the right thing. These are rapidly developing circumstances, we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">From 17<sup>th</sup> March, we suspended all face-to-face assessments for health and disability benefits. For existing claimants, we have also automatically extended awards and suspended any new review or reassessment activity, except where claimants notify us of changes to their needs that may result in an increase to their award. </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">We have temporarily suspended the requirement for face-to-face Jobcentre Plus appointments for all claimants in Universal Credit, Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA), Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Income Support. This means that claimants are not expected to contact their Jobcentre Plus while this temporary suspension is in place. They will continue to receive benefits as normal and they will not be sanctioned for not taking part in interviews with Jobcentres.</ins></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/03/2020 17:45:25 question first ministerially corrected 15/04/2020 15:02:18 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson previous answer version 13583 answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1185255

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans his Department has to mitigate the risk of delays in processing new applications for (a) personal independence payment and (b) employment support allowance due to (i) self-isolation or (ii) reduced face to face assessments following the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow South West
tabling member printed	Chris Stephens
uin	30002
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>As announced on Monday 16 March we are stopping all face-to-face assessments for sickness and disability benefits and introducing alternative measures to assess from Tuesday 17 March. We are working at pace with our Assessment Providers to minimize any inconvenience and delays as much as possible.</p><p> </p><p>No estimate has yet been made on the average waiting times for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC) while these alternative arrangements are in place. Claims to ESA and UC will be payable prior to a Work Capability Assessment having been carried out and payments for Personal Independence Payment will be backdated from the date of decision in line with normal rules following an assessment.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 30056 30058 question first answered 19/03/2020 13:25:08 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4463 label Biography information for Chris Stephens

1185340

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an estimate of the expected average waiting time for (a) personal independence payment (b) employment and support allowance and (c) universal credit (i) phone and (ii) desk-based assessments during the outbreak of covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	30058
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>As announced on Monday 16 March we are stopping all face-to-face assessments for sickness and disability benefits and introducing alternative measures to assess from Tuesday 17 March. We are working at pace with our Assessment Providers to minimize any inconvenience and delays as much as possible.</p><p> </p><p>No estimate has yet been made on the average waiting times for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC) while these alternative arrangements are in place. Claims to ESA and UC will be payable prior to a Work Capability Assessment having been carried out and payments for Personal Independence Payment will be backdated from the date of decision in line with normal rules following an assessment.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson grouped question UIN 30002 30056 question first answered 19/03/2020 13:25:08 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

1185342

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria her Department uses to monitor the accuracy of desk-based benefit assessments.
tabling member constituency	Bermondsey and Old Southwark
tabling member printed	Neil Coyle
uin	30060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>I have interpreted ‘desk based’ to relate to paper-based assessments whereby the Health Professional has deemed there is enough existing evidence without the need to see the claimant face to face.</p><p> </p><p>Audit, in relation to completed desk based and face to face benefit assessments, refers to a comprehensive check of the elements of the assessment, including the evidence collection, further evidence provided and the assessment report completed by the Health Professional. The check is completed against a set of guidelines to ensure a consistent approach is taken. This ensures that assessment reports are fit for purpose, clinically justified and sound, and provide sufficient information for the department to make a reasonable decision on entitlement to benefit.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/03/2020 14:17:18 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4368 label Biography information for Neil Coyle

1185537

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to postpone (a) employment support allowance and (b) personal independence payment assessments during the covid-19 outbreak.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	29822
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2020 answer text <p>We announced on Monday 16 March that, as of Tuesday 17 March, face-to-face assessments for all sickness and disability benefits will be suspended for the next three months, including those for Employment and Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payment. Anyone who has a face-to-face assessment appointment scheduled from Tuesday 17 March onwards does not need to attend and will be contacted to discuss next steps and alternative arrangements, which could involve either telephone or paper-based assessments.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 19/03/2020 13:33:32 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

1184966

registered interest
date	13/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Department's pilot of a single system for disability assessments announced in March 2020, how the single assessment system will encompass the descriptors used to assess personal independence payments, limited capability for work under universal credit (UC), limited capability for work and work related activity of UC, limited capability for work under employment and support allowance (ESA) and limited capability for work and work related activity under ESA; and if she will set out how the single assessment process will work.
tabling member constituency	Belfast South
tabling member printed	Claire Hanna
uin	29306
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2020 answer text <p>On 02 March 2020 we announced plans regarding the single, integrated service that will simplify the assessment process for millions of people claiming health related benefits. <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2020-03-02/HCWS138/" target="_blank">Announcement on Health and Disability Assessments.</a></p><p> </p><p>Today separate organisations deliver PIP assessments and Work Capability Assessments using different IT systems; we will replace this with a single digital platform delivered by DWP and covering all benefits that need a health assessment. The new service will simplify the assessment process reducing the need to submit information multiple times and potentially minimise the need for face-to-face assessments.</p><p> </p><p>Building on the work of the integrated service, the Department announced it would study the feasibility of using a single assessment for PIP and ESA/UC to establish if this would improve the assessment process for claimants who are eligible to be assessed for these benefits at the same time. We have recently concluded the study, which involved discussions with key stakeholders, as well as research and analysis to examine how a single assessment could work in practice with a sharp focus on whether it would improve the claimant experience. The Department will be reviewing the evidence from this study before determining next steps.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to continuously improving the experience for customers with health conditions and disabilities and the upcoming Green Paper on health and disability support will seek to address this further.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 23/03/2020 15:02:51 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4827 label Biography information for Claire Hanna

1183549

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it will be her Department's policy that the integrated assessment system for personal independence payment and work capability assessments will adopt a unified policy for recording assessments.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	26815
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2020 answer text <p>I refer the Rt.Hon Member to the answer I gave on 10 February 2020 to Question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons,lords&amp;uin=12293" target="_blank">UIN 12293.</a></p><p> </p><p>I also refer the Rt.Hon Member to a further answer I gave on 09 March 2020 to question <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons,lords&amp;uin=25186" target="_blank">UIN 25186.</a></p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 12/03/2020 10:03:54 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1182808

registered interest
date	04/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2020 to Question 12293 on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, when the approach to provide consistency for claimants across audio recording of work capability assessments and personal independence payment assessments will be published.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	25186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>Work is ongoing to develop the details of our approach and we will provide an update in due course.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 09/03/2020 17:26:33 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1182356

registered interest
date	03/03/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the (a) accuracy and (b) efficiency of contracted out health assessments for claimants of (i) employment and support allowance and (ii) personal independence payment with severe hidden disabilities.
tabling member constituency	Wallasey
tabling member printed	Ms Angela Eagle
uin	24252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2020 answer text <p>We continually look to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the assessment service by working closely with Providers. We are committed to ensuring individuals receive high quality assessments as part of the suite of evidence used to decide entitlement. Providers are monitored against a range of measures, including through Independent Audit, to improve accuracy of the advice they provide.</p><p> </p><p>Assessment Providers are required to ensure Health Professionals carrying out assessments have knowledge of the clinical aspects and likely functional effects of a wide range of health conditions and impairments, including hidden disabilities affecting both physical and mental health. Health Professionals are also expected to explore and consider the hidden nature of some symptoms, such as fatigue and pain, during their assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 09/03/2020 16:00:21 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	491 label Biography information for Dame Angela Eagle

1179715

registered interest
date	24/02/2020
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his oral contribution of 27 January 2020, Official Report, column 525 and pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2020 to Question 7257, on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of his statement that 82 per cent of personal independence payment claimants were satisfied and the results in the table provided in that answer.
tabling member constituency	Lanark and Hamilton East
tabling member printed	Angela Crawley
uin	19874
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/03/2020 answer text <p>The 82% referenced in my oral contribution of 27 January 2020, referred to the overall satisfaction of PIP claimants in 2017/18 as published in the “Claimant Service and Experience Survey 2017/18”, available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-claimant-service-and-experience-survey-2017-to-2018" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-claimant-service-and-experience-survey-2017-to-2018</a></p><p> </p><p>PIP Assessment Providers, Independent Assessment Services (IAS) and Capita, have a separate Claimant Satisfaction target, set at 90%. They have consistently exceeded this target since the measurement began in 2016.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 03/03/2020 13:12:50 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4469 label Biography information for Angela Crawley