Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the policy of withdrawing Employment and Support Allowance payments during mandatory reconsideration of decisions being appealed from the Work Capability Assessment will be reviewed in the light of the delays in reconsideration; and what assessment they have made of whether the policy is causing claimants hardship.

In line with all other DWP-administered benefits Employment and Support Allowance is not payable whilst the mandatory reconsideration process is undertaken.

During the mandatory reconsideration period other benefits may be payable, provided the claimant meets the conditions of entitlement.

Our reforms to the appeals process mean that more claimants are now being contacted before decisions are made, giving them the opportunity to discuss their circumstances with the decision maker; and subsequently – through Mandatory Reconsideration – they are given another opportunity to provide additional evidence. This is helping to either prevent disputes arising or resolving them as early as possible, thereby mitigating gaps in benefit payments and avoiding the need for costly appeals.