The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) assesses individuals against a set of descriptors to determine how their health condition or disability affects their ability to work. The WCA takes into account the functional effects of fluctuating and degenerative conditions such as Parkinson\u2019s. A key principle is that the WCA considers the impact that a person\u2019s disability or health condition has on them, not the condition itself.<\/p>
<\/p>
Claimants with the most severe health conditions and disabilities whose condition is unlikely to ever improve are no longer routinely reassessed.<\/p>
<\/p>
From 2025, we are reforming the WCA to reflect new flexibilities in the labour market and greater employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, whilst maintaining protections for those with the most significant conditions. Claimants who currently have no work-related requirements, except in some very limited circumstances, will not be reassessed or lose benefit because of these changes.<\/p>
<\/p>
When making decisions on changes to the WCA, we carefully considered over 1300 consultation responses, including from disabled people, people with health conditions, and the organisations that represent and support them. We also engaged directly with clinical experts, employer groups and disability organisations across the country.<\/p>
<\/p>
With these changes to the WCA criteria, 371,000 fewer people will be assessed as having limited capability for work and work-related activity by 2028-29 and will receive personalised support to help them move closer to employment. A further 29,000 individuals will be found fit for work by 2028-29 and will receive more intensive support to search for and secure work than would be the case under the current WCA rules. These figures are not based on specific conditions. This is because the WCA considers the impact that a person\u2019s disability or health condition has on their ability to work, not the condition itself.<\/p>
The department routinely engages with a wide range of organisations that represent and support disabled people and people with health conditions, including people living with Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/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" : "2024-04-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "20626"} , {"_value" : "20627"} , {"_value" : "20662"} ], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-16T15:51:17.393Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Work Capability Assessment: Chronic Illnesses"} , "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, if he will take steps to review planned changes to the Work Capability Assessment to reflect the impact on people with (a) Parkinson's and (b) other long-term conditions.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Dowd"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bootle"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Dowd"} ], "uin" : "20661"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/439346", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/439346/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Prime Minister's office, Privy Council office, Office of the Leader of the House of Commons, Office of the Leader of the House of Lords, and Government Estates Management are integral parts of the Cabinet Office and are included in the part of the response below that refers to the main department.<\/p>
The government publishes information on the job titles, pay grades, and the pay costs of civil servants on a twice yearly basis. The latest Cabinet Office organogram is available at https://data.gov.uk/organogram/cabinet-office<\/a> and the latest structure charts may be downloaded at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-structure-charts<\/a> .<\/p> The Big Lottery Fund employs 14.5 (FTE) press and public relations staff in its England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales offices. These staff are focused on raising awareness of Lottery funding and funding opportunities for communities through local and national media and other communications channels. Of those staff, 2 are paid more than £50,000 and none more than £100,000.<\/p> The total audited costs of running the press offices in the Cabinet Office and the Big Lottery Fund are unavailable on the grounds of disproportionate cost.<\/p> The Crown Commercial Service, the Civil Service Commission that also includes staff working for the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and the Senior Salaries Review Body, employ no press and public relations staff.<\/p> Across government, the government communications profession saved £330 million for taxpayers last year compared to 2009 to 2010 - by making its campaigns more cost effective.<\/p> This means that we reduced communications spending by a total of £1 billion during the last Parliament.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4070", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Matt Hancock"}
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, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Suffolk"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Matthew Hancock"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many press and public relations staff are employed by the (a) Prime Minister's office, (b) Cabinet Office, (c) Privy Council office, (d) Office of the Leader of the House of Commons, (e) Office of the Leader of the House of Lords, (f) Crown Commercial Service, (g) Big Lottery Fund, (h) Government Estates Management, (i) Civil Service Commission, (j) Commissioner for Public Appointments and (k) Senior Salaries Review Body; how many of those employees are paid more than (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total cost of running the press office is in each of those organisations in the most recent period for which figures are available.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson"}
}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Diana Johnson"}
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