Page 25 - Reforming Benefits Decision-Making -(updated - August 2021)

the latter for ESA and certain UC components. PIP is a benefit that is intended
to help with additional costs of having a long-term health condition or
disability. It is non-means tested and can be applied for on top of UC/ESA or
other benefits. The PIP assessment is meant to assess how an individual’s
health condition or disability impacts their ability to carry out everyday tasks
and ability to get around. The WCA is meant to assess whether someone’s
health condition or disability limits their ability to work. It is used to
determine whether someone will be entitled to ESA and at which rate. For
40
UC it is used to determine what work-related activities, if any, a claimant will
be required to undertake. Claimants without children who are found to have
limited capability for work (LCW) are entitled to a work allowance and
claimants found to have limited capability for work related activity (LCWRA)
are entitled to an additional UC element.
41

2.5 Health and disability assessments have been outsourced to three private
companies. WCAs are carried out by the Health Assessment Advisory
Service, run by the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA),
part of Maximus, in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland WCAs are carried out
by the Independent Assessment Services, operated by Atos. In southern and
northern England and Scotland PIP assessments are carried out by the

40 New-style ESA is a non-means tested contributory benefit, which means individuals need to have
been paid or been credited with National Insurance contributions for the previous two to three years.
There are two old types which some people still receive – income-based ESA and contribution-based
ESA. Income-based ESA is now being replaced by UC and new claims for it ceased from 27 January
2021. It is not possible to make a claim for contribution-based ESA because it has been replaced by
New Style ESA. New-style ESA can be claimed alongside UC. Income-based ESA is now being
replaced by UC and most people can no longer make a new claim for it.
41 Individuals on ESA will be placed into one of two groups. Those in the work-related activity group
will receive a lower rate and whilst they will not be required to work, they will have to undertake
activity that improves their chances of finding work, for example CV-building skills. Those in the
support group will not be required to participate in any work-related activity.
For individuals on UC, the WCA is used to determine whether they are deemed fit for work, have
limited capability for work (LCW) or have limited capability for work related activity (LCWRA).
Claimants in the LCW group do not have to look for work but must undertake activities to prepare for
work with the aim of working in the future. Previously those in LCW were also entitled to an additional
UC element. However, the LCW element is not available to claimants who claimed UC on or after 3
April 2017 unless they were previously in receipt of a work-related activity component on ESA. Those
with LCWRA are not expected to look, or prepare, for work and are normally entitled to an additional
monthly payment – the LCWRA element.

16