Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the average time between a claim being made for employment and support allowance and the claimant receiving a work capability assessment.
The Department is committed to reducing the time taken between claim and assessment for claimants of Employment and Support Allowance. The recent appointment of Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (operated by MAXIMUS) is integral to bringing improvement into the process as they bring both clinical expertise and a fresh approach that, over time, will significantly reduce waiting times and provide a better experience for claimants.