This policy statement, in the form of a answer from Minister Penny Mordaunt, in the Commons on 26th June caught our eye.
We will await developments in the autumn; hopefully the application of a degree of common sense to future re-assessments of persons with severe and lifelong conditions (including, obviously many with learning disabilities) will prevent both pointless expenditure and distress to those being assessed, and their carers and families.
Asked by Mrs Louise Ellman(Liverpool, Riverside)
Department for Work and Pensions
Work Capability Assessment
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to cease work capability reassessments for employment and support allowance claimants with the most severe health conditions and disabilities where the condition is unlikely to improve; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
This change will come into effect in autumn 2017 and will apply to those placed in Employment and Support Allowance’s Support Group and the Universal Credit equivalent.
Whilst the new criteria and process for this group of claimants is developed, we do not plan to reassess claimants who had the most severe health conditions or disabilities when they had their first Work Capability Assessment. We are currently working with stakeholders to develop the new criteria and, when finalised, we will revisit this group to confirm the position, but we expect this will not require a face-to-face assessment.