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789193

	registered interest
	date	14/11/2017
	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	Work Capability Assessment: Autism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people administering work capability assessments are required to undertake training on autism and autistic spectrum disorders; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	112878
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2017 answer text <p>All Healthcare Professionals conducting Work Capability Assessments receive extensive training regarding autism spectrum disorders as part of their initial new entrant training. This training programme includes simulated assessments covering claimants with autism and learning disabilities to allow Healthcare Professionals to develop appropriate consultation skills. All Healthcare Professionals have access to condition specific information on autism which is quality assured by external reviewers. Healthcare Professionals are further supported by Functional Champions who are available to provide advice to Healthcare Professionals on particular conditions including autism before, during or after an assessment.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 20/11/2017 15:48:03 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

789189

	registered interest
	date	14/11/2017
	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	Work Capability Assessment: Autism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that training offered to those carrying out work capability assessments complies with statutory obligations under the Autism Act 2009.
	tabling member constituency	Bristol West
	tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	112979
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2017 answer text <p>The Autism Act 2009 does not impose any specific statutory obligations on DWP or its Providers. The Department is, however, fully committed to improving the services it provides for people with autism. Part of the Department’s Autism Strategy Action Plan focuses on key areas for improvement, including promotion of the autism agenda to our Assessment Provider, Centre for Health and Disability Assessments. In order to improve the skills and knowledge of Healthcare Professionals that undertake Work Capability Assessments, the Department supported the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments in the development of condition specific training on autism which is quality assured by external reviewers.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton question first answered 20/11/2017 15:50:57 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
	tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1646468

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2023
	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	Work Capability Assessment: Autism
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department offers autistic people exemption from repeated assessment.
	tabling member constituency	Cynon Valley
	tabling member printed	Beth Winter
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	190702
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2023 answer text <p>Repeat assessments serve an important role, as they ensure that claimants are receiving the amount of benefit that correctly reflects the extent of the impact that their disability or health condition has on their functional ability. However, we recognise that some people have severe conditions that are unlikely to change.</p><p> </p><p>As outlined in the Health &amp; Disability White Paper, we are testing a Severe Disability Group so those with severe and lifelong conditions that are unlikely to improve can benefit from a simplified process without ever needing to complete a detailed application form or go through a face-to-face assessment or frequent re-assessments. It is being tested on a small scale across a range of health conditions to make sure it works as intended.</p><p> </p><p>We have also made changes to reduce unnecessary reassessments. For instance, the Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC) were introduced in 2017 and are applied during the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). They identify claimants who have severe disabling lifelong conditions that will never improve, and whose level of function would always mean that they are unlikely ever to be able to move into work. Claimants who meet the SCC will not be routinely reassessed.</p><p> </p><p>For Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants, we have ensured that people whose needs will not improve and most people over State Pension age, receive an ongoing PIP award with a ‘light touch’ review at the 10-year point. Ongoing awards can be applied to any level or combination of award outcome, so long as the person’s needs are unlikely to change. A review can take place sooner if a person’s needs change.</p><p> </p><p>We are committed to supporting people with autism to access the right benefits and the right support. This is why all assessors conducting WCAs and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments receive training on assessing people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 29/06/2023 11:30:48 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
	tabling member	4809 label Biography information for Beth Winter