Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her speech entitled, Closing the gap between intention and experience, made on 5 March 2019, what (a) locations and (b) groups of claimants by protected characteristics, and (c) groups of claimants with medical conditions by ICD10 classification her Department plans to include in the proposed small test of a no-conditionality approach for claimants awaiting work capability assessment.

The Department is still finalising the design of the Proof of Concept and seeking input from key representatives from the sector. It is a small scale test which will be run in 2-4 jobcentres during summer 2019. We will use the Proof of Concept to test whether we can increase engagement with claimants with disabilities or health conditions. Work Coaches will start with no mandatory requirements and then tailor conditionality up, based on an individual’s circumstances.

We intend to apply it to those claimants pre-Work Capability Assessment; and, that, for those post work capability assessment found to have a Limited Capability for Work. We will apply it to all claimants presenting with medical evidence of a health condition, or disability, excluding only those who are Terminally Ill or who have conditions defined in schedule 8 or schedule 9 of the Universal Credit Regulations. Universal Credit does not use the ICD10 classification system for claimants recognising that each claimant is unique. Further detailed design on inclusion/exclusion criteria have yet to be defined.

The evaluation of the Proof of Concept will take place in Autumn 2019 after which we will determine next steps.