Depending on the circumstances, if the department accepts that a Universal Credit claim should not have been closed, the claim would be reopened. If there has been no change in the claimant\u2019s circumstances, and no changes to any health conditions they have declared, the claim would be reinstated at the same rate of payment as before it was closed, including any additional allowances due to the claimants\u2019 limited capability for work. There would be no need for a further Work Capability Assessment in this scenario. Being in receipt of Personal Independence Payment would have no bearing on this decision.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mims Davies"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Sussex"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mims Davies"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-22T16:01:02.827Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has considered the potential merits of allowing claimants' limited capability for work status to be reinstated without further assessment when (a) they have had their Universal Credit claim closed through no fault of their own, (b) they are in receipt of Personal Independence Payment and (c) their condition has not changed.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4645", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emma Hardy"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emma Hardy"} ], "uin" : "26581"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1716125", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1716125/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to continuously improving support for disabled people and people with health conditions, including through the Health Transformation Programme which is modernising Health and Disability benefit services to create a more efficient service and a improved claimant experience, reducing the time it takes to process a claim and improving trust in our services and decisions.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> The department has started to publish HTP management information (MI). On 19 December 2023, the department published the first in a new series; publication of this MI will continue quarterly in line with the PIP Official Statistics release schedule. This can be found here.<\/a><\/p> <\/strong><\/p> The Programme published its Evaluation Strategy on 25th<\/sup> May 2023 here.<\/a><\/p> <\/p> The National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee published reports in 2023 on the Health Transformation Programme.<\/p> <\/em><\/strong><\/p> Transforming health assessments for disability benefits (nao.org.uk)<\/a><\/p> <\/p> Revising health assessments for disability benefits (parliament.uk)<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4513", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mims Davies"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Mid Sussex"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mims Davies"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-15T15:33:50.31Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress his Department has made on the Health Transformation Programme.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4491", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Vicky Foxcroft"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham, Deptford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Vicky Foxcroft"}
], "uin" : "24969"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1644884", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1644884/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Audio recording is now available for face-to-face and telephone assessments with all the department\u2019s assessment providers. These arrangements are publicised on providers\u2019 websites and in the assessment invitation letters to claimants. The department remains committed to offering audio recording on an opt-in basis, giving claimants the choice of having their assessment recorded.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-06-22T10:57:19.8Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on their plans to audio-record all assessments for disability benefit by default.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/478", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Field of Birkenhead"}
], "uin" : "HL8488"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1642800", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1642800/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are fully committed to supporting those with mental health conditions. The assessment of mental, cognitive, and intellectual function is an integral part of the assessment process.<\/p> <\/p> All healthcare professionals (HPs) undertaking assessments on behalf of the department must be registered practitioners who have undergone comprehensive training in the functional assessment of disability, and mental health conditions. HPs continue to keep this knowledge up to date through continuous professional development.<\/p> <\/p> In addition, mental health function champions support HPs by providing additional expertise about mental health, cognitive, developmental, and learning disabilities, and can be referred to at any time during the assessment process.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4169", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Viscount Younger of Leckie"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-06-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-06-14T11:01:59.243Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-06-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what training in customer mental health they give to contractors providing assessments of benefits claimants.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/236", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Browning"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Browning"}
], "uin" : "HL8277"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1612761", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1612761/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "