https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-work-capability-assessment-statistics-april-2019-to-september-2024/universal-credit-work-capability-assessment-april-2019-to-september-2024 This is a quarterly release of Official Statistics on the number of people on UC with a health condition or disability restricting their ability to work, the number of Work Capability Assessment (WCA) decisions made for UC, and the outcomes of these WCAs.
Tag: WCA
Supplementary submission to Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry into safeguarding vulnerable claimants
https://www.nawra.org.uk/2024/11/supplementary-submission-to-work-and-pensions-committees-inquiry-into-safeguarding-vulnerable-claimants/ Following NAWRA’s previous submission for the Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into safeguarding vulnerable claimants, we were invited to submit a supplementary submission to the new Committee who have reopened the inquiry. We were asked only to raise new issues so focused on –
ESA claimants who migrate to universal credit should no longer be asked to supply a fit note or have conditionality applied
As detailed in rightsnet, https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/news/item/esa-claimants-who-migrate-to-universal-credit-should-no-longer-be-asked-to-supply-a-fit-note-or-have-conditionality-applied Mr Couling told today’s Move to UC stakeholder meeting that, as a result of feedback received, the online claim process now includes a question asking the applicant if they are currently in receipt of ESA, thereby automatically including the information on the system. Mr Couling added that the fix only…
Welfare trends report – October 2024
https://obr.uk/wtr/welfare-trends-report-october-2024/ Our Welfare trends report (WTR) examines the drivers of welfare spending. In this WTR, we focused on working-age incapacity benefits. It covers the history of incapacity benefits and incapacity benefit onflows and off-flows since 2010.
Health-related benefit claims have risen substantially across every part of England and Wales – but there is little evidence of similar trends in other countries
https://ifs.org.uk/news/health-related-benefit-claims-have-risen-substantially-across-every-part-england-and-wales The number of working-age people getting health-related benefits in England and Wales has increased significantly since 2019: from 2.8 million (7.5% of the working-age population) in 2019–20 to 3.9 million (10% of the working-age population) in 2023–24 – growth of 38% in just four years. Over this period, real-terms spending on health-related benefits in…
In her first newspaper interview since taking the role, Liz Kendall told the Observer that a drastic overhaul was required to fix a “broken” back-to-work system
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/17/its-time-to-end-blame-culture-over-benefits-bill-says-labour-minister?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other Labour will end the blame culture aimed at people out of work and will not repeat the “salami slicing” of the benefits bill pursued by the Tories, the work and pensions secretary pledges today, as she warns that rising welfare spending is unsustainable.
Universal Credit Rates For 2024/2025
The 2024/2025 Universal Credit basic standard rate for adults over 25 is now £393.45 per month for singles and £617.60 per month for couples. If you’re under 25, this benefit is now worth £311.68 per month for singles and £489.23 per month for couples. Before housing costs, costs for children and sickness, and childcare costs.
Work capability assessment, an advisor guide.
https://wcainfo.net/ We hope that wcainfo will help advisers in assisting people to make a new claim for benefit on the basis of their incapacity for work, and in challenging decisions to refuse, or award a lower rate of, the benefit.
Pioneering study says regime based largely on benefit sanctions has failed to tackle economic inactivity
https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jul/22/integrate-nhs-services-and-job-centres-to-get-more-people-working-report-says?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other The report, billed as the biggest single in-depth study of long-term worklessness, argues that a regime based largely on benefit sanctions has achieved little, and any serious effort to tackle economic inactivity must offer personalised help based on health.
Work Capability Assessment, an explanation
https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/benefits-and-financial-advice/help-and-support/universal-credit-esa-sickness-and-disability If you have a health condition or disability you may already be claiming Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). New claims for income related ESA are no longer possible so if you are making a new claim with a health condition or disability it will be for Universal Credit and/or ‘New Style’ contributory ESA….