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<p> </p><p> </p><p>The table below shows outstanding Employment and Support Allowance
new claims, existing Employment and Support Allowance recipients awaiting a review
and Incapacity Benefit claimants awaiting reassessment, at the end of April 2014 for
England, Scotland and Wales. The figures exclude cases referred to Atos Healthcare
where the claimant has yet to return their ESA50 questionnaire.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Region</strong></p></td><td><p>ESA
New claims awaiting a Work Capability Assessment</p></td><td><p>Existing ESA recipients
awaiting a review Work Capability Assessment</p></td><td><p>Incapacity Benefit recipients
awaiting reassessment</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>England</p></td><td><p>333,000*</p></td><td><p>201,000*</p></td><td><p>74,000*</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Scotland</p></td><td><p>34,000*</p></td><td><p>13,000*</p></td><td><p>2,000*</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Wales</p></td><td><p>28,000*</p></td><td><p>20,000*</p></td><td><p>7,000*</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>* Note: figures are based on operational management information received from
Atos Healthcare and are rounded to the nearest thousand.</p><p> </p><p>The total Disability
Living Allowance claimants' awaiting an assessment at the end of April 2014 nationally
was 800. Figures are based on operational management information received from Atos
Healthcare and are rounded to the nearest hundred.This information is not routinely
collated to regional area.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Social Development in
Northern Ireland has a separate contract with Atos Healthcare for the delivery of
assessments in Northern Ireland. Therefore, questions relating to waiting times in
Northern Ireland should be addressed to the Minister for Social Development in Northern
Ireland.</p><p> </p><p>We are working closely with our supplier to deliver the best
possible service for claimants, driving up performance and quality to help reduce
waiting times and process claims as quickly as possible. We are continuing to monitor
and robustly manage this contract.</p><p> </p><p>Identification by the Department
of a reduction in Atos Healthcare's quality led to decisive action in the form of
a retraining and re-accreditation exercise and an overhaul of audit arrangements when
we instructed Atos Healthcare to introduce an improvement plan in July 2013. The quality
of reports provided by Atos Healthcare has improved significantly but the Department
continues to monitor quality closely.</p><p> </p>
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