• writing to your MP and
• responding to the DWP consultation
Background
In March 2023, the Government announced proposals to abolish the work capability assessment (WCA), the test used to decide if a claimant is “fit for work”.
Under the proposed new system, a claimant who receives any rate of PIP will receive an extra “health element”, included in their UC.
But no-one will have a WCA and no-one will be held to have a limited capability for work (LCW) or a limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA).
Instead, medically unqualified work coaches will judge what, if any, work or work-related activity a claimant is able to undertake.
This new system will need to have post general election parliamentary approval and so would not be introduced until 2026/27 for new claimants and 2029 for existing claimants.
WCA descriptor consultation
However, last month, the Government launched a consultation on making interim changes to the existing WCA, to cover the years before the WCA is abolished completely.
The changes would be introduced from 2025.
These changes are will make it more difficult to be found to have LCW or LCWRA, meaning those in the latter group losing £390.06 a month.
The main changes being proposed are to four of the current WCA activities and the vital “substantial risk” rule.
The consultation sets out possible changes to four of the WCA activities:
- Mobilising - unaided by another person with or without a walking stick, manual wheelchair or other aid’ and also going up or down two steps
- Continence – the absence or loss of bowel/bladder control
- Coping With Social Engagement - due to a cognitive impairment or mental disorder
- Getting About - getting to places outside the your home without having someone accompany you
For each of these four activities, the Government is considering removing the activity from the WCA entirely, or reducing the points awarded for them - so making being found fit for work more likely.
The “substantial risk” rule applies if you do not qualify under the WCA but there would be a substantial risk to the mental or physical health of you or anyone else if you were found not to have LCWRA.
This is often the only way that people with severe mental health conditions, including those at risk of self-harm, can enter the LCWRA group.
The Government are suggesting two options for change:
- remove the rule entirely, so anyone who is at risk would be placed in the LCW group instead - where they could be subject to sanctions.
- alter the rule so that it would not apply where a person could take part in tailored or a minimal level of work preparation activity and/or where reasonable adjustments could be put in place to enable that person to engage with work preparation.
Ken Butler DR UK’s Welfare rights and Policy Adviser said:
“The Government’s stated aim to “support more Disabled people into work” will not be achieve through subjecting them to benefit conditionality or sanctions or reducing their income.
“More Disabled people will be pushed into poverty, we will see more deaths and greater deterioration in health as with Disabled people may be forced to look for or obtain work beyond their capabilities.
In reality, the proposals are a huge and potentially deadly cost-cutting exercise.
“If the Government simply wanted to help more people attempt to work, they could easily do so just by guaranteeing a safe return to existing levels of benefits for anyone who tried working but was unable to sustain it. Support could be offered to prepare for work without any threat to benefits.”
DR UK urges Disabled people to make their voice heard to oppose the WCA changes.
The full DWP consultation document is here.
Its closing date is 30 October.
Z2K has produced an online template to use to write to you MP to oppose the WCA changes.
Inclusion London, Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People and DR UK have drafted a consultation response document for Disabled People’s Organisations and supporters to use or to make their own additions.
The WCA consultation response template attached at the bottom of this news page.
Benefits and Work has produced a useful overview and timeline of the WCA changes.
See also the following two Disability News Service articles:
- Minister misleads MPs over plans to remove ‘fitness for work’ safety net
- Fitness for work’ test changes are ‘horrendously dangerous’, activists warn