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Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Wednesday 17th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Work Capability Assessments for existing claimants were undertaken in each month since January 2025.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Department for Work and Pensions continues to monitor waiting times for Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) and works closely with assessment suppliers to manage demand and ensure claimants progress through the process as efficiently as possible. The department remains focused on maintaining a timely assessment service, while ensuring that support is directed to those who need it most.

The number of WCAs for new claimants undertaken in each month since January 2025 are as follows.

Jan 25

Feb 25

Mar 25

Apr 25

May 25

Jun 25

Jul 25

Aug 25

58,000

54,000

60,000

53,000

52,000

52,000

54,000

41,000

The number of WCAs for existing claimants undertaken in each month since January 2025 are as follows.

Jan 25

Feb 25

Mar 25

Apr 25

May 25

Jun 25

Jul 25

Aug 25

1,900

2,100

1,700

1,200

1,400

1,900

2,100

3,000

As of 31 August 2025, approximately 110,000 existing claimants were awaiting WCAs. This total includes all claimants currently within the assessment suppliers’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.

Please note:

  • Volumes have been rounded to the nearest 100 or 1000.
  • All above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.
  • The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.

Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Wednesday 17th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Work Capability Assessments for new claimants were undertaken in each month since January 2025.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Department for Work and Pensions continues to monitor waiting times for Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) and works closely with assessment suppliers to manage demand and ensure claimants progress through the process as efficiently as possible. The department remains focused on maintaining a timely assessment service, while ensuring that support is directed to those who need it most.

The number of WCAs for new claimants undertaken in each month since January 2025 are as follows.

Jan 25

Feb 25

Mar 25

Apr 25

May 25

Jun 25

Jul 25

Aug 25

58,000

54,000

60,000

53,000

52,000

52,000

54,000

41,000

The number of WCAs for existing claimants undertaken in each month since January 2025 are as follows.

Jan 25

Feb 25

Mar 25

Apr 25

May 25

Jun 25

Jul 25

Aug 25

1,900

2,100

1,700

1,200

1,400

1,900

2,100

3,000

As of 31 August 2025, approximately 110,000 existing claimants were awaiting WCAs. This total includes all claimants currently within the assessment suppliers’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.

Please note:

  • Volumes have been rounded to the nearest 100 or 1000.
  • All above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.
  • The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.

Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Wednesday 17th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many existing claimants are waiting for Work Capability Assessment reassessments.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Department for Work and Pensions continues to monitor waiting times for Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) and works closely with assessment suppliers to manage demand and ensure claimants progress through the process as efficiently as possible. The department remains focused on maintaining a timely assessment service, while ensuring that support is directed to those who need it most.

The number of WCAs for new claimants undertaken in each month since January 2025 are as follows.

Jan 25

Feb 25

Mar 25

Apr 25

May 25

Jun 25

Jul 25

Aug 25

58,000

54,000

60,000

53,000

52,000

52,000

54,000

41,000

The number of WCAs for existing claimants undertaken in each month since January 2025 are as follows.

Jan 25

Feb 25

Mar 25

Apr 25

May 25

Jun 25

Jul 25

Aug 25

1,900

2,100

1,700

1,200

1,400

1,900

2,100

3,000

As of 31 August 2025, approximately 110,000 existing claimants were awaiting WCAs. This total includes all claimants currently within the assessment suppliers’ caseload, including those at the questionnaire stage and those for whom further medical evidence is being gathered.

Please note:

  • Volumes have been rounded to the nearest 100 or 1000.
  • All above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment suppliers.
  • The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.

Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Tuesday 16th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's accredited official statistics entitled ESA: Work Capability Assessments, Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals: June 2025, published on 12 June 2025, for how long he expects his Department's instruction to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new claims over reassessments of existing claimants to be in place.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is well-established government policy to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new benefit claims to determine their capability for work at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reassessments occur when there is capacity in the system which has been limited due to an increase in demand for WCAs for new benefit claims. As a result, over recent months, reassessments have not been done in large numbers.

We are aware of delays in reassessing cases where the claimant has advised us that their health condition has worsened. We understand that this is a very important issue. This is why we are putting in place a process to expedite the reassessment of these cases.

The government has made it clear in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we will turn on WCA reassessments at scale as we build capacity to do so. We continue to work on options to make the WCA process more efficient and responsive, which includes accelerating healthcare professional recruitment to increase capacity for reassessments


Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Tuesday 16th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department has provided to assessment providers on whether Work Capability Assessments for new claims should have priority over claimants who report a change in their circumstances.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is well-established government policy to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new benefit claims to determine their capability for work at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reassessments occur when there is capacity in the system which has been limited due to an increase in demand for WCAs for new benefit claims. As a result, over recent months, reassessments have not been done in large numbers.

We are aware of delays in reassessing cases where the claimant has advised us that their health condition has worsened. We understand that this is a very important issue. This is why we are putting in place a process to expedite the reassessment of these cases.

The government has made it clear in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we will turn on WCA reassessments at scale as we build capacity to do so. We continue to work on options to make the WCA process more efficient and responsive, which includes accelerating healthcare professional recruitment to increase capacity for reassessments


Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Tuesday 16th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the evidential basis was for his Department instructing assessment providers to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new claims over reassessments of existing claimants.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is well-established government policy to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new benefit claims to determine their capability for work at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reassessments occur when there is capacity in the system which has been limited due to an increase in demand for WCAs for new benefit claims. As a result, over recent months, reassessments have not been done in large numbers.

We are aware of delays in reassessing cases where the claimant has advised us that their health condition has worsened. We understand that this is a very important issue. This is why we are putting in place a process to expedite the reassessment of these cases.

The government has made it clear in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we will turn on WCA reassessments at scale as we build capacity to do so. We continue to work on options to make the WCA process more efficient and responsive, which includes accelerating healthcare professional recruitment to increase capacity for reassessments


Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Tuesday 16th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his planned timeframe is for completing existing claimants’ Work Capability Assessment reassessments.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is well-established government policy to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new benefit claims to determine their capability for work at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reassessments occur when there is capacity in the system which has been limited due to an increase in demand for WCAs for new benefit claims. As a result, over recent months, reassessments have not been done in large numbers.

We are aware of delays in reassessing cases where the claimant has advised us that their health condition has worsened. We understand that this is a very important issue. This is why we are putting in place a process to expedite the reassessment of these cases.

The government has made it clear in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we will turn on WCA reassessments at scale as we build capacity to do so. We continue to work on options to make the WCA process more efficient and responsive, which includes accelerating healthcare professional recruitment to increase capacity for reassessments


Written Question
Work Capability Assessment
Tuesday 16th September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date his Department instructed assessment providers to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new claims over reassessments of existing claimants.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It is well-established government policy to prioritise Work Capability Assessments for new benefit claims to determine their capability for work at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reassessments occur when there is capacity in the system which has been limited due to an increase in demand for WCAs for new benefit claims. As a result, over recent months, reassessments have not been done in large numbers.

We are aware of delays in reassessing cases where the claimant has advised us that their health condition has worsened. We understand that this is a very important issue. This is why we are putting in place a process to expedite the reassessment of these cases.

The government has made it clear in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that we will turn on WCA reassessments at scale as we build capacity to do so. We continue to work on options to make the WCA process more efficient and responsive, which includes accelerating healthcare professional recruitment to increase capacity for reassessments


Written Question
Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit: Dundee Central
Monday 1st September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the number of children in the Dundee City Council local authority area that live in households (a) in receipt of (i) Universal Credit and (ii) Child Tax Credit and (b) that include three or more children and do not receive the child element amount for at least one child.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department publishes Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, with the latest statistics available to April 2025. The accompanying tables provide breakdowns by country, region, local authority and parliamentary constituency. Child Tax Credit closed in April 2025


Written Question
Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit: Dundee Central
Monday 1st September 2025

Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children in Dundee Central constituency are in households in receipt of (a) Universal Credit and (b) Child Tax Credit with three or more children that are not receiving a child element for at least one child.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department publishes Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit claimants: statistics related to the policy to provide support for a maximum of 2 children, with the latest statistics available to April 2025. The accompanying tables provide breakdowns by country, region, local authority and parliamentary constituency. Child Tax Credit closed in April 2025