Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people applying for employment and support allowance in Scotland had to wait more than six weeks to receive their benefit in the last three months.

The information requested is not readily available.

The management information system used to report Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) clearance times only shows data on the average time or the number cleared within 5, 10, 16 or 21 days. The system cannot produce data on cases which had to wait more than 6 weeks to receive their benefit.

However ESA claimants are paid an assessment rate of benefit based on a preliminary decision prior to going through the work capability assessment. This means that the majority of claimants receive a decision on their claim with the first 10 working days.

From April 17 – June 17 85.2% of claimants have received a decision on their claim within 10 working days.