Found: vulnerabilities and crisis circumstances had not been able to submit a sicknote and engage with the Work

Found: Capability Assessment (WCA). 47.

Found: Capability Assessment (WCA). 47.

Found: under tax credits, are not recognised as ‘disabled’ under UC rules Lack of information on the ‘work

Found: ●Recent proposals to reform the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) will see many future Universal Credit

Found: Includes that they will not need to have another Work Capability Assessment.

Found: Correspondence with the Secretary of State relating to the Work Capability Assessment consultation ,

Found: An individual’s rate of New Style ESA (NS ESA) varies depending on the outcome of a Work Capability

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of trends in the number of people claiming long-term sickness benefits.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are determined to have a welfare system that encourages and supports people into work, while providing a vital safety net for those who need it most. The Government has an ambitious programme of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

Building on existing provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the 2023 Spring Budget, we announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023, including doubling the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme and launching WorkWell in approximately 15 pilot areas.

In the Health and Disability White Paper published alongside the 2023 Spring Budget we announced our intention to remove the Work Capability Assessment so that those who are able to can progress in or towards work, without the worry of being reassessed and losing their benefits.

Ahead of these longer-term plans, from 2025 we are reforming the WCA to reflect new flexibilities in the labour market and greater employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions, whilst maintaining protections for those with the most significant conditions.

We also announced our new Chance to Work Guarantee which will effectively remove the WCA for most claimants who have already been assessed without work-related requirements, removing the fear of reassessment and giving this group the confidence to try work, within existing permitted work rules in ESA and work allowance rules in UC.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support people with (a) Parkinson's and (b) other long-term conditions with their basic financial outgoings.

Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

People on low, or no income or earnings who have a health condition or disability which restricts the amount of work they can do, can claim Universal Credit (UC). They must provide medical evidence to support their claim - most commonly a Statement of Fitness for Work, usually referred to as a fit note. Claimants whose health condition or disability continues for four weeks or more are referred for a work capability assessment (WCA). The WCA determines how an individual’s health condition or disability affects their ability to work. A key principle is that the WCA considers the impact a person’s disability or health condition has on them, not the condition itself.

Where it has been decided that claimants have limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA), they will be entitled to a work allowance, and in couple claims where one is working, access to help with childcare costs.  Where it has been decided that claimants have LCWRA, they may be entitled to the award of an additional amount of benefit – the LCWRA addition – which is £390.06 per month (2023-24 rates).

Where it has been decided that claimants have LCW, they are not reasonably expected to look for work at present but are expected to prepare for work in the future. Where it has been decided that claimants have LCWRA, they are not expected to look for work or required to undertake any work-related activity. Where it has been decided that claimants are fit for work, they are expected to undertake work-related activity and to look for work.

People whose capability for work is impacted because they are disabled or have a health condition, including people who have Parkinson’s and other long term health conditions, may also be eligible for New Style Employment and Support Allowance (NS ESA) subject to satisfying both the basic and National Insurance contribution conditions. NS ESA is an earnings replacement benefit for working age people who are unable to work due to a health condition or disability. In addition to the support provided for basic financial outgoings by UC people with a long-term health condition or disability may be entitled to support with disability-related extra costs through benefits such as Personal Independence Payment.

Found: the publication team at wca.statistics@dwp.gov.uk Technical_notes Technical Notes ESA: outcomes of Work

Found: More information Read background information on these statistics in the ESA: outcomes of Work Capability

Found: Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment statistics, April 2019 to December 2023

Found: Universal Credit Work Capability Assessment statistics, April 2019 to December 2023

Found: Reforms to the Work Capability Assessment announced at Autumn Statement 2023 will reduce by 66% the

Found: Reforms to the Work Capability Assessment announced at Autumn Statement 2023 will reduce by 66% the

Found: Disability White Paper published by the UK Government in March 2023 contained proposals to scrap the Work