Recommendation 7

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)