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<p>Our priority throughout this Covid-19 period continues to be to protect the public
and staff, while ensuring people receive the benefits they are entitled to quickly
and safely. We suspended face-to-face assessments, reviews and reassessments. We continue
to assess people based on written evidence alone, where that is possible, and have
introduced telephone assessments. We also automatically extended awards where necessary
for certain health and disability benefits, providing reassurance to those in receipt
of them. This action enabled us to prioritise activity on new claims and changes of
circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>The number of assessments that were scheduled to have
taken place between 1 March 2020 and 30 May 2020 and the number of assessments that
took place during that time can be found in the table below:</p><p /><p><strong> </strong></p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p><strong>Assessments</strong> <strong>Scheduled</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Assessments</strong>
<strong>Completed</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>PIP</p></td><td><p>187,700</p></td><td><p>117,050</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>ESA</p></td><td><p>20,370</p></td><td><p>14,500</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>UC</p></td><td><p>34,530</p></td><td><p>19,890</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p>Please note:</p><p>Data has been rounded to the nearest 10.</p><p>Figures
do not include paper based reviews.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>PIP</strong></p><p>The
Assessments Scheduled data has been produced by the assessment providers (Capita and
Independent Assessment Services).</p><p>The Assessments Completed data is derived
from unpublished contractual management information produced by the assessment providers
which was collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured
to Official Statistics Publication standards.</p><p> </p><p>Face-to-face assessments
for PIP were paused due to Covid-19 from 17 March 2020. Telephone assessments began
a piloted roll out from 23 March 2020 for Capita and 03 April 2020 for IAS.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p><strong>ESA and UC</strong></p><p>Face-to-face assessments for UC
and ESA were paused due to Covid-19 from 17 March 2020. Telephone assessments began
a piloted roll out from 04 May 2020 where only Limited Capability for Work Related
Activity recommendations were being made.</p><p> </p><p>The department continues to
process both New Claims and Changes of Circumstance and encourage anyone with a change
in their needs to contact the Department so that we can ensure they are receiving
the correct level of support.</p>
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