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Select Committee · Work and Pensions Committee

Health assessments for benefits

Status: Closed Opened: 27 Sep 2021 Closed: 7 Aug 2023 25 recommendations 4 conclusions 1 report

The Committee investigated the assessment processes for health-related benefits. These include Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. The Committee is focusing on how the Department for Work and Pensions can improve the application and assessment processes for these benefits. The Committee … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Health assessments for benefits HC 128 14 Apr 2023 29 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

7 items
1 Conclusion Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

We welcome the changes to the process for accessing benefits via the special rules for...

We welcome the changes to the process for accessing benefits via the special rules for terminal illness, specifically replacing the six month rule with 12 months.

Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses Internal Process Reviews (IPRs), when they are conducted, and how feedback is supplied to providers following the outcomes of IPRs.
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Department for Work and Pensions
5 Recommendation Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

In response to this Report, we ask the Government to outline the methodology used to...

In response to this Report, we ask the Government to outline the methodology used to determine when Internal Process Reviews are carried out, and how it has improved its collection of data on deaths and serious harms since the NAO report on Information held by the Department for Work & … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government responds by stating that the Department's assessments are not comparable to clinical assessments and that it routinely carries out evaluations of policy changes. It claims it would be extremely difficult to objectively separate the impact of the process on mental health from other …
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Department for Work and Pensions
7 Recommendation Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

Following our predecessor’s 2018 Report, the Government commissioned research into the impacts of health assessment...

Following our predecessor’s 2018 Report, the Government commissioned research into the impacts of health assessment questionnaires and is now feeding that learning into its policy development. We have also heard important insight from academics on the mental health impacts of assessments, but studies have been sporadic and rely on the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response focuses on the balance between providing sufficient time for claimants to return evidence and ensuring timely awards, particularly regarding the ESA50, UC50, and PIP2 forms; however, it does not commit to undertaking regular reviews of the mental health impacts of its end-to-end …
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Department for Work and Pensions
12 Recommendation Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

Giving people sufficient time to gather relevant evidence for their claim could reduce the stress...

Giving people sufficient time to gather relevant evidence for their claim could reduce the stress involved for claimants and improve the quality of information available to the assessment provider. In turn this could lead to better initial decisions and reduce the number of Mandatory Reconsiderations due to either unreturned forms, … Read more

Government response AI summary
The response discusses draft criteria focusing on claimants with severely disabling, lifelong conditions, reviews of guidance, covert surveillance, and informal observations, but does not address the recommendation to extend the deadline for returning forms.
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Department for Work and Pensions
14 Recommendation Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

We welcome that DWP has made some improvements so that the assessments process is more...

We welcome that DWP has made some improvements so that the assessments process is more accessible. However, we heard that these changes “are quite ad hoc and reactive”. In response to this Report, the Government should set out how many legal challenges it has faced relating to failure to make … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Department states that the requested information is not stored in a way that would allow them to provide accurate figures on legal challenges relating to failure to make reasonable adjustments for health assessments.
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Department for Work and Pensions
20 Recommendation Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

DWP has not conducted any research on reasons for its losses at Tribunal since 2012—before...

DWP has not conducted any research on reasons for its losses at Tribunal since 2012—before either PIP or Mandatory Reconsideration were introduced. We recommend DWP commission and publish research focusing on the costs and effectiveness of Mandatory Reconsideration, as well as practical recommendations for learning from Tribunal, and options for … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses the differences between DLA and PIP assessments and plans for the Severe Disability Group, but does not address the recommendation to commission and publish research on the costs and effectiveness of Mandatory Reconsideration.
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Department for Work and Pensions
23 Recommendation Fifth Report - Health assessments for b… Not Addressed

We heard that PIP assessments can be particularly challenging for young people.

We heard that PIP assessments can be particularly challenging for young people. We recommend that young people in receipt of Disability Living Allowance should not be required to claim PIP until they are 18, as is the case in Scotland. Where under 18s decide to claim PIP, they should be … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government response focuses on testing plans for the Severe Disability Group, feedback used to develop criteria, publishing UC WCA statistics, reviewing guidance for health professionals, testing sharing assessment reports, and exploring recording assessments; it does not address light-touch, paper-based assessments for under 18s and …
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Department for Work and Pensions

Oral evidence sessions

9 sessions
Date Witnesses
20 Jul 2022 Chloe Smith MP · Cabinet Office, Gill Holmes · Department for Work and Pensions, Katie Farrington · Department for Work and Pensions View ↗
29 Jun 2022 Ben Macpherson MSP · Scottish Government, Matthew Duff · Scottish Government, Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions, Professor Paul Knight OBE · Social Security Scotland, Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
22 Jun 2022 Dr Ben Baumberg Geiger · University of Kent, Professor Ben Barr · University of Liverpool View ↗
25 May 2022 Antony King · Capita, Dr Barrie McKillop · Independent Assessment Services, Dr Paul Williams · Maximus, Emma-Jane Bannister · Maximus, Laura Erskine · Capita, Stuart Paterson · Independent Assessment Services, Suzie Frew · Maximus View ↗
11 May 2022 Aaron Dryden · Carers UK, Caroline Selman · Public Law Project, Daphne Hall · National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA), Dr Kieran Sharrock · British Medical Association (BMA), Hannah Nicholls-Harrison · Disability Benefits Consortium, Mark Jackson · Marie Curie, Minesh Patel · Mind View ↗
30 Mar 2022 Andy Pike · The Royal British Legion, Caroline Cooke · Forces in Mind Trust, Philip Martin · University of Salford/Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers View ↗
16 Mar 2022 Catherine Hale · Chronic Illness Inclusion Project, Jane Hunt · Association of Disabled Professionals, Jasmine Wyeth · Rethink Mental Illness, Patricia Vespucio · GIPSIL, Sarah Rawlings · MS Society, Tracey Lazard · Inclusion London View ↗
12 Jan 2022 Charles Smith · Citizens Advice, Evan John · Sense, Hannah Nicholls-Harrison · Mencap, Helen Wild · Down’s Syndrome Association, Joanne Gordon · Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK, Louise Rubin · Scope, Marc Francis · Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K), Morgan Vine · Independent Age, Sophie Corlett · Mind View ↗
1 Dec 2021 Dr Paul Litchfield CBE · Department for Work and Pensions, Paul Gray CB · Department for Work and Pensions View ↗

Who gave evidence

44 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Aaron Dryden · Director of Carer Support Carers UK 1
Andy Pike · Head of Policy and Research The Royal British Legion 1
Antony King · Managing Director and Client Partner of Capita He… Capita 1
Ben Macpherson MSP · Minister for Social Security and Local Government Scottish Government 1
Caroline Cooke · Head of Policy Forces in Mind Trust 1
Caroline Selman · Senior Research Fellow Public Law Project 1
Catherine Hale · Director Chronic Illness Inclusion Project 1
Charles Smith · Senior Policy Researcher Citizens Advice 1
Chloe Smith MP · Minister of State Cabinet Office 1
Daphne Hall · Co Chair National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) 1
Dr Barrie McKillop · Clinical Director Independent Assessment Services 1
Dr Ben Baumberg Geiger · Reader in Sociology and Social Policy University of Kent 1
Dr Kieran Sharrock · General Practitioners Committee (England) British Medical Association (BMA) 1
Dr Paul Litchfield CBE · Leader of the 2013 and 2014 independent reviews o… Department for Work and Pensions 1
Dr Paul Williams · UK Division President Maximus 1
Emma-Jane Bannister · Customer Director Maximus 1
Evan John · Policy and Public Affairs Advisor Sense 1
Gill Holmes · Contract Management and Partner Delivery Director Department for Work and Pensions 1
Hannah Nicholls-Harrison · Policy Co-Chair Disability Benefits Consortium 1
Hannah Nicholls-Harrison · Policy Officer Mencap 1
Helen Wild · Welfare Benefits Advisor Down’s Syndrome Association 1
Jane Hunt · Chair Association of Disabled Professionals 1
Jasmine Wyeth · Senior Policy Officer Rethink Mental Illness 1
Joanne Gordon · Chair Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK 1
Katie Farrington · Director General, Disability, Health and Pensions Department for Work and Pensions 1
Laura Erskine · Occupational Therapist in Forensic Mental Health Capita 1
Louise Rubin · Head of Policy and Campaigns Scope 1
Marc Francis · Director of Policy and Campaigns Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K) 1
Mark Jackson · Policy Manager Marie Curie 1
Matthew Duff · Disability Benefits Policy Manager Scottish Government 1
Minesh Patel · Associate Director of Policy and Influencing Mind 1
Morgan Vine · Director of Policy and Influencing Independent Age 1
Patricia Vespucio · Team Leader, Advice Service GIPSIL 1
Paul Gray CB · Leader of the independent reviews of PIP Department for Work and Pensions 1
Peter Schofield · Permanent Secretary Department for Work and Pensions 1
Philip Martin · Research Fellow University of Salford/Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers 1
Professor Ben Barr · Professor in Applied Public Health Research University of Liverpool 1
Professor Paul Knight OBE · Chief Officer Health and Social Care Operations Social Security Scotland 1
Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Secretary of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Sarah Rawlings · Executive Director of Research & External Affairs MS Society 1
Showing 40 of 44.

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
12 Jul 2023 — Correspondence with the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work relating …
7 Sep 2022 — Correspondence from the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work following…
7 Sep 2022 — Correspondence from Social Security Scotland in connection with the health asse…