Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to reduce the backlog of Work Capability Assessments and improve the speed of decision making.

The Department for Work and Pensions prioritises assessments for new claims to minimise waiting times and ensure claimants receive the right benefit entitlement as soon as possible. However, due to unforeseen high levels of Work Capability Assessments (WCA) required in late 2024, a backlog of reassessment cases built up from individuals reporting a change in their condition before May 2025. We are working with suppliers to increase capacity for clearing this backlog, including by accelerating the recruitment of assessors.