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1364249

registered interest
date	28/10/2021
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
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 support claimants who are awaiting a work capability assessment for contributions based employment and support allowance and whose assessment will not be able to take place before their award ends.
tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
tabling member printed	Peter Grant
uin	65452
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2021 answer text <p>We are committed to assessing people as quickly as possible in order that they receive the benefit they are entitled to. Unfortunately, some Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) for contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA(C) claimants were not completed as quickly as we would have liked due to the the Covid-19 pandemic. The resumption of face-to-face assessments, together with enhanced telephony assessment processes, now allow us to assess all cases. We are prioritising assessments for contributory Employment and Support Allowance claims that have exhausted or are at risk of exhausting.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, the measures we implemented during the pandemic remain in place to support ESA(C) claimants at risk of exhausting before a WCA. This includes a dedicated operational team to identify contributory ESA claims that we can progress without face-to-face assessment – for instance, those where further evidence might exist on other DWP benefit systems. If claimants have further evidence they think might help progress their claim, they should contact the Department.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants whose ESA(C) exhausts before they have had a WCA should continue to supply medical evidence (i.e. Fit Notes). This will ensure that their claim can be reinstated if they are found to have limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) at a future WCA, with any arrears of the LCWRA component paid in full.</p><p> </p><p>Where an individual’s contributory ESA ends, they may be able to claim Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 04/11/2021 15:58:47 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith previous answer version 29763 answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

1364355

registered interest
date	28/10/2021
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants who are due to reach the end of their 12 month entitlement to contributions-based employment and support allowance before the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments has completed its work capability assessment by the end of 2021.
tabling member constituency	Glenrothes
tabling member printed	Peter Grant
uin	65453
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2021 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 02/11/2021 16:36:18 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4466 label Biography information for Peter Grant

1293328

registered interest
date	01/03/2021
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
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 26 February 2021 to Question 150714 on Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment, if she will make an estimate of the number of claimants who have had their contributory based employment and support allowance payments stopped as a result of the (a) temporary suspension of face-to-face assessments for health and disability-related benefits and (b) inability to be placed in a support group as a result of suspended face-to-face assessments.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	160577
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2021 answer text <p>I would like to refer the Honourable Member to question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2021-02-19/154860" target="_blank">154860</a> answered on 26<sup>th</sup> February 2021.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 04/03/2021 15:18:18 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1287241

registered interest
date	19/02/2021
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to question 150714 answered on 12 February 2020, on Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment, if he will make an estimate of the number of claimants who have had their contributory based employment and support allowance payments stopped because of the temporary suspension of face-to-face assessments for health and disability-related benefits.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	154860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2021 answer text <p>Individuals claiming contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA(C)) do not have their benefit stopped because face-to-face assessments have been suspended. Entitlement to ESA(C) ends after 365 days unless the claimant has been placed in the Support Group.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout the pandemic we have continued to assess people on paper evidence, using this route whenever possible. We also introduced telephone assessments in June 2020 in a phased approach which allowed us to build capability and improve processes. From 1 February 2021 the combination of paper and telephone assessments will enable us to ensure that claimants receive their correct benefit entitlement as quickly as possible and reduce the time claimants who may be entitled to a higher award have to wait for their assessment.</p><p>We recognise that some assessments have unfortunately not been completed within the 365 day window due to the pressures presented by the pandemic. If, following their assessment, and the subsequent decision, an ESA claimant is entitled to a higher rate of benefit, payments are backdated where appropriate, so that they do not lose out.</p><p> </p><p>Where an individual’s contributory ESA ends, if they require further financial support, they may be able to claim Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 26/02/2021 14:02:49 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1284965

registered interest
date	08/02/2021
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have had their employment and support allowance payments stopped because of the temporary suspension of face-to-face assessments for health and disability-related benefits.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	150714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2021 answer text <p>New claimants will receive the assessment rate of benefit, and existing claimants will remain on their current award, until we are able to gather the evidence needed for a decision to be made (or until their benefit is due to end in contributory ESA). Where an individual’s contributory ESA ends, if they require further financial support, they may be able to claim Universal Credit, depending on their personal circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>If, following their assessment, and the subsequent decision, an ESA claimant is entitled to a higher rate of benefit, payments are backdated where appropriate, so that they do not lose out.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that people get the support they are entitled to as quickly as possible by continuing to assess people on paper evidence, as usual, where we can, using this route as often as we are able to. We have also introduced telephone assessments and we are currently in the early stages of testing WCA video assessments.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 12/02/2021 14:18:20 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson

1242893

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the criteria is for the issuing of an employment support assessment as a paper form.
tabling member constituency	East Renfrewshire
tabling member printed	Kirsten Oswald
uin	102853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>A paper Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) medical questionnaire form is issued to all ESA claimants that require a work capability assessment. On DWP’s website there is a version of the form available which provides claimants with an option to download and complete the form on a computer. This allows the form to be saved and completed in stages.</p> answering member constituency North Swindon answering member printed Justin Tomlinson question first answered 16/10/2020 12:48:45 answering member 4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson
tabling member	4413 label Biography information for Kirsten Oswald

1019352

registered interest
date	03/12/2018
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people undergoing a work capability assessment for employment and support allowance were found to be fit for work in each constituency in each year since 2015.
tabling member constituency	Salford and Eccles
tabling member printed	Rebecca Long Bailey
uin	198291
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>The information on the number of Employment and Support Allowance claimants who have a Work Capability Assessment and the related outcomes by parliamentary constituency is published and can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml" target="_blank">https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/jsf/login.xhtml</a></p><p>Guidance for users is available at:</p><p><a href="https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html" target="_blank">https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html</a></p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 198289 question first answered 11/12/2018 10:56:14 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4396 label Biography information for Rebecca Long Bailey

984950

registered interest
date	10/10/2018
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will place in the Library copies of assessments conducted by her Department relating to the mental well-being of applicants during and/or immediately after the work capability assessment process in the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	177749
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2018 answer text <p>The Department has not completed any such assessments within the timeframe, though in the latest official DWP survey, 82 per cent of Employment and Support Allowance claimants said that they were satisfied with their overall experience of the benefit journey: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-claimant-service-and-experience-survey-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-claimant-service-and-experience-survey-2016-to-2017</a>.</p><p> </p><p>As well as this a number of safeguards were built into the Work Capability Assessment from the outset, and we have introduced further improvements to try and ensure that people who have mental health conditions are treated fairly and sensitively.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 15/10/2018 12:20:48 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

791174

registered interest
date	17/11/2017
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been waiting over (a) 3 months, (b) 6 months, (c) 9 months and (d) 12 months from the date of submission for an employment support allowance claim for a decision on whether they will receive a Work Capability Assessment or are placed in the Support Group in the most recent period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Oldham East and Saddleworth
tabling member printed	Debbie Abrahams
uin	114501
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2017 answer text <p>The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 22/11/2017 15:34:56 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	4212 label Biography information for Debbie Abrahams

769935

registered interest
date	12/10/2017
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	Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
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 the response by the Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work of 12 September 2017 to the letter from the hon. Member for Edinburgh East, on stopping of repeated work capability assessments for people who have lifelong, progressive, degenerative or incurable conditions, how that status will be determined; and whether people with such conditions who are already in receipt of employment and support allowance will be required to undergo a further work capability assessment to determine that status.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	107522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2017 answer text <p>We will consider whether a claimant meets the criteria for stopping routine assessments as part of our existing WCA process, which involves assessing individuals against a set of functional descriptors to determine how their illness or disability affects their ability to work. The criteria are being considered as part of a claimant’s initial or next WCA.</p> answering member constituency Portsmouth North answering member printed Penny Mordaunt question first answered 17/10/2017 14:07:09 answering member 4017 label Biography information for Penny Mordaunt
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard