The Department for Work and Pensions has announced plans to abolish the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), though timing and details are yet to be confirmed
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has revealed in the Pathways to Work Green Paper that it plans to “abolish the Work Capability Assessment (WCA)”. Following this, eligibility for the new Universal Credit Health Element will necessitate the claimant receiving a Daily Living award on Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
In a written reply to Green Party MP Siân Berry’s query about the removal of the WCA, Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms stated that “work is continuing” to determine the specifics of how this revamped system would operate. He also mentioned that “discussions are also under way with the Scottish Government” regarding the interplay between the devolved and reserved systems.
Sir Stephen added: “We will set out further details of the reformed system, and the timing of WCA abolition, once we are in a position to do so.”
In response to a separate question from Lib Dem MP Lisa Smart about ‘what service standards on timeliness are in place for making decisions on WCAs and what steps the DWP is taking to reduce these waiting times’, Sir Stephen clarified that the WCA is one component of the process for determining a Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) benefit entitlement decision, reports the Daily Record.
He went on to say: “Health Care Practitioners undertake the Work Capability Assessment and following this functional assessment make a recommendation to the department. Thereafter, a DWP Decision Maker reviews this recommendation and makes the decision on benefit entitlement.”
“We monitor customer journey times for WCAs, deploying additional staff if required, prioritising urgent cases and addressing backlogs. We consistently prioritise assessments for new claims to minimise waiting times.”
Sir Stephen also revealed that because of “unforeseen high levels of WCAs” needed in late 2024, a backlog of reassessment cases accumulated from people reporting a change in their condition before May 2025.
He stated: “We are working with suppliers to increase capacity for clearing this backlog, including the acceleration of the recruitment of assessors. There are no backlogs within the DWP Decision Making stage.”
The DWP has also recently confirmed that all ESA claimants who have not submitted their Universal Credit claim within two weeks of their migration notice deadline will ‘automatically enter the Enhanced Support journey’. The department explained this journey “provides tailored and flexible assistance, including phone calls and home visits, to support the migration process”.
Additional DWP support also includes:
- Enhanced Support Journey for vulnerable claimants, including proactive calls, text reminders, and home visits.
- Financial safeguards such as Transitional Protection and two-week run-on payments for ESA claimants.
Digital and manual process enhancements to ensure accurate transitional protection calculations and prevent payment delays. The DWP said that it will persist in its efforts to “review and iterate our services to optimise our services and any further feedback is welcomed”.
