The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) suspended face-to-face assessments for health-related benefits in March 2020 to help protect claimants from coronavirus.
These interviews remain paused while the UK navigates another national lockdown in order to prevent the spread of the new, virulent strain of Covid-19.
When you make a claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) you are sent a Limited Capability for Work questionnaire, also known as an ESA50, to complete and return. When you claim Universal Credit and submit sick notes, you will be sent a UC50 to fill out.
Once you have returned the completed questionnaire, in most cases, you will be asked to attend a face-to-face interview - often referred to as a Work Capability Assessment.
However, the DWP has issued an important update on these assessments that will affect everyone completing an ESA50 or UC50.
In a statement on the GOV.UK website, the Department said: “To protect vulnerable claimants during the pandemic, face-to-face Work Capability Assessments remain suspended.”
The DWP has been building its capacity and capability to do more telephone assessments since they were first introduced in June last year.
The statement continued: “We are now expanding the types of cases that can go through to decision which will result in an increase in the number of Limited Capability for Work and Fit for Work decisions.
“This will ensure claimants receive the correct benefit entitlement and labour market support as quickly as possible, and reduce the time those who may be entitled to a higher award have to wait for their assessment.”
The announcement follows a similar one made by DWP in January which stated that face-to-face assessments for disability benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) remain suspended “until further notice.”
The continued suspension of interviews should not deter people from claiming much-needed financial support and the DWP is actively encouraging those who think they may be entitled to a health and disability benefit, to contact them as soon as possible to make a claim in the normal way.
For more information about claiming benefits for a health condition or disability, visit the GOV.UK website here.
