Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to make permanent the offer of phone or paper assessments for benefits currently in place during covid-19 outbreak.

Paper based reviews have always been a feature of Personal Independence Payment assessments and Work Capability Assessments and wherever possible Assessment Providers will conduct a paper-based review. Telephone-based assessments for suitable cases are a temporary measure replacing face-to-face assessments, which were suspended across all health and disability benefits from 17 March due to Covid-19. We are currently in the process of reviewing this measure in light of the latest public health advice and will confirm next steps as soon as possible.