Ministers say the proposed changes cannot move forward until an independent review of Personal Independence Payment has reported later this year, leaving the current assessment process unchanged for Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance claimants.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) had previously outlined plans to abolish the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), which is used to determine whether a claimant is able to work and what support they may receive. The proposal formed part of the government’s Pathways to Work Green Paper and aimed to replace separate assessments with a single process linked to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
According to a written parliamentary response from Social Security and Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms, the timetable for abolishing the WCA is now tied directly to the outcome of the ongoing Timms Review of PIP, which is expected to report its findings this autumn.
Government Links WCA Abolition to Outcome of PIP Review
The latest update came after Liberal Democrat MP Daisy Cooper asked what assessment had been made of ending multiple benefit assessments for amputees.
In his response on May 22, Sir Stephen acknowledged that many disabled people and individuals with health conditions currently undergo two separate assessments when claiming both Universal Credit and PIP. He said the process can be “complex, time-consuming, duplicative and cause stress for claimants.”
According to the DWP minister, the government’s long-term objective remains the removal of the Work Capability Assessment. Under the proposed model, additional financial support for health conditions within Universal Credit would be determined through the PIP assessment in England and Wales rather than through a separate work capability test.
Sir Stephen stated that the reform is intended to end what the government describes as the “binary categorisation” of claimants as either able or unable to work. Instead, eligibility for additional support would be based on how a disability affects daily living rather than a person’s capacity to work.
However, he made clear that these plans cannot proceed until the Timms Review has concluded and decisions have been taken on the future structure of the PIP system.
Existing Protections Remain in Place for Some Claimants
While wider reforms remain under consideration, current arrangements continue to apply across the benefits system.
According to Sir Stephen’s parliamentary statement, some disabled claimants qualify under the Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC). These criteria are designed to identify people with severe, lifelong health conditions or disabilities who are unlikely to improve, are not expected ever to work, and for whom further reassessments would be unlikely to provide new information.
Claimants who meet the SCC generally do not need to undergo reassessment unless they report that their condition has changed or improved. The minister also emphasized that assessments do not always require a face-to-face appointment. Where sufficient evidence already exists, claimants can be assessed on a paper basis.
The Timms Review is described as the first comprehensive review of PIP since the benefit was introduced in 2013. According to government statements cited in recent reports, an interim update is expected before the final findings are presented to Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden later this year. Until then, the Work Capability Assessment will remain part of the current benefits system.
