Recommendations & Conclusions
9 items
1
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
We agree that recent increases in spending on health-related welfare, as well as future spending projections, are concerning, but at the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that spending on non-health related, non-pensioner welfare has fallen, especially given the possibility that the increase in the first might be partly …
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We agree that recent increases in spending on health-related welfare, as well as future spending projections, are concerning, but at the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that spending on non-health related, non-pensioner welfare has fallen, especially given the possibility that the increase in the first might be partly the result of the reduction in the second. (Conclusion, Paragraph 25)
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Government response AI summary
The government committed to an above-inflation increase in the Universal Credit standard allowance, legislated through the Universal Credit Act (September 2025), and a reduction in the UC health element for new claimants from April 2026, with standard allowance rates to be kept under review.
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Department for Work and Pensions
2
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
We agree that the incapacity benefit system is broken. It focuses too much on what people cannot do and on assessing claimants’ eligibility for benefits, rather than on supporting them into work. As concluded by many of the most reputable authorities in this area, the disparity in rates and conditionality …
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We agree that the incapacity benefit system is broken. It focuses too much on what people cannot do and on assessing claimants’ eligibility for benefits, rather than on supporting them into work. As concluded by many of the most reputable authorities in this area, the disparity in rates and conditionality rules has no doubt impacted on economic inactivity. Whether people are being parked on benefits depends largely, however, on the barriers to their engaging with the available employment support or attempting to move into work. The Government recognises this point in the Green Paper and has set out proposals to address the challenges. The success of its reforms, which we discuss later in our report, will depend on whether it really can improve levels of trust in the system. (Conclusion, Paragraph 36)
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Government response AI summary
The government outlined the Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC), in use since September 2017, which aims to reduce reassessments for individuals with severe, lifelong conditions, and described stakeholder engagement regarding its application within the Universal Credit system.
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Department for Work and Pensions
3
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
Trends in health-related benefit spending cannot be properly understood without appreciating the impact of rising ill-health and financial insecurity. The disparity between the standard and higher rates, for example, would not be nearly so great an incentive to claim were those affected not struggling financially. If a disabled person is …
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Trends in health-related benefit spending cannot be properly understood without appreciating the impact of rising ill-health and financial insecurity. The disparity between the standard and higher rates, for example, would not be nearly so great an incentive to claim were those affected not struggling financially. If a disabled person is struggling financially, they are obviously far more likely to claim benefits for which they are eligible but which they might previously not have thought about claiming. The combination of rising ill-health and financial insecurity cannot account for all the increase in caseloads but is certainly a significant contributory factor. (Conclusion, Paragraph 45) 64
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Government response AI summary
The government stated its intention, outlined in the Green Paper, to introduce a 'Pathways to Work Guarantee' providing personalised work, health, and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions claiming out-of-work benefits.
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Department for Work and Pensions
7
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
We are pleased the Government has provided some clarity about how those with the most severe, lifelong conditions will be protected, at least until the removal of the Work Capability Assessment, and we look forward to the publication of the White Paper in the autumn, which will set out the …
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We are pleased the Government has provided some clarity about how those with the most severe, lifelong conditions will be protected, at least until the removal of the Work Capability Assessment, and we look forward to the publication of the White Paper in the autumn, which will set out the Government’s long-term plans for protecting this group. We also welcome the fact that those in this group will benefit from the decision not to freeze UC health for the rest of the Parliament. However, we have some concerns about those conditions, especially serious mental health conditions, that might not be caught under the severe conditions criteria and about the extent to which the Government consulted with stakeholders on those eligibility criteria. (Conclusion, Paragraph 100)
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Government response AI summary
The government clarified that Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC) have been in use since 2017 with stakeholder engagement, and detailed further conversations held in July 2025 regarding eligibility for protected UC health rates.
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Department for Work and Pensions
8
Recommendation
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
We ask that the Government set out what conversations it had with stakeholders about the eligibility criteria for the protected rate of UC health for those with the most severe, lifelong conditions, and any assessment it has made about the types of serious conditions, especially mental health conditions, that might …
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We ask that the Government set out what conversations it had with stakeholders about the eligibility criteria for the protected rate of UC health for those with the most severe, lifelong conditions, and any assessment it has made about the types of serious conditions, especially mental health conditions, that might not qualify. (Recommendation, Paragraph 101) 65
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Government response AI summary
The government sets out that a range of stakeholders, including several disability and charity groups, were engaged in 2017 and again in July 2025 regarding the Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC). It clarifies that any customer with functional LCWRA advised during a WCA will be considered …
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Department for Work and Pensions
9
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
The change to eligibility for the daily living component of the Personal Independence Payment was always the source of greatest concern and anger. This was partly because it appeared to many that the Government was treating PIP as an incapacity benefit, although we recognise that, as the Minister said, a …
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The change to eligibility for the daily living component of the Personal Independence Payment was always the source of greatest concern and anger. This was partly because it appeared to many that the Government was treating PIP as an incapacity benefit, although we recognise that, as the Minister said, a large majority of PIP recipients are not in work. (Conclusion, Paragraph 102)
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Government response AI summary
The government responded by explaining that Clause 5 of the Bill, which concerned PIP eligibility, was removed due to public concerns, and reforms to PIP will now proceed through the co-produced Timms Review.
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Department for Work and Pensions
12
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
We agree with the principle of a streamlined, single health and disability assessment, given the distress caused by repeated and unnecessary assessments. The objection to the Government’s proposal to abolish the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and to link eligibility for UC health to receipt of the daily living component of …
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We agree with the principle of a streamlined, single health and disability assessment, given the distress caused by repeated and unnecessary assessments. The objection to the Government’s proposal to abolish the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) and to link eligibility for UC health to receipt of the daily living component of PIP is that the two assessments assess different things: one a person’s capacity for work and the other the impact of a disability on a person’s daily living. This objection seems to miss the point, however, since the Government is explicit that it wants to decouple access to UC health from an assessment of a person’s capacity for work. (Conclusion, Paragraph 117) 66
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Government response AI summary
The government reiterates its existing policy, as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, that eligibility for the Universal Credit Health Element will be based on PIP daily living awards and decoupled from capacity to work, noting ongoing discussions with the Scottish Government.
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Department for Work and Pensions
13
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
We are cautiously supportive of the idea of decoupling UC health from an assessment of a person’s capacity for work, but it does raise an important question about what type of benefit UC health will be in the future. If it is not related to a person’s capacity for work, …
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We are cautiously supportive of the idea of decoupling UC health from an assessment of a person’s capacity for work, but it does raise an important question about what type of benefit UC health will be in the future. If it is not related to a person’s capacity for work, it can hardly be described as an incapacity benefit. If it is to depend on receipt of the daily living component of PIP, it is perhaps best described as a means-tested disability benefit, but the Government has not described it in these terms. (Conclusion, Paragraph 118)
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Government response AI summary
The government restates its policy that the Universal Credit Health Element will be linked to PIP daily living awards and explains that DWP describes the element by its function for customer understanding, rather than classifying it as a type of benefit.
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Department for Work and Pensions
14
Conclusion
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw…
Accepted
The regulations underpinning the WCA include important safeguards for those with high-risk pregnancies, the terminally ill, those receiving cancer treatment and those who would be at substantial risk if they were not awarded UC health. Given the serious impact the loss of these protections would have, we welcome the Minister’s …
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The regulations underpinning the WCA include important safeguards for those with high-risk pregnancies, the terminally ill, those receiving cancer treatment and those who would be at substantial risk if they were not awarded UC health. Given the serious impact the loss of these protections would have, we welcome the Minister’s confirmation that it will protect these groups in the future. (Conclusion, Paragraph 119)
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Government response AI summary
The government detailed the Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC), in use since 2017 with stakeholder engagement, explaining how it protects those with the most severe lifelong conditions by considering them for automatic eligibility.
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Department for Work and Pensions