Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are applied to decide whether a claimant can have a home assessment for (a) employment and support allowance, (b) personal independence payment and (c) universal credit.

Assessment Provider Health Care Professionals will review each claimant’s circumstances to decide whether a face to face consultation is necessary. If a face to face consultation is recommended, the Health Care Professional will also, at this point, determine if there is strong supporting medical evidence for the consultation to be carried out at the claimant’s home. Situations where a claimant may need a home consultation can include where a person’s diagnosis suggests a significant disability that may make travel extremely difficult, or the claimant provides evidence from a healthcare professional that their condition prevents them from travelling.