Several changes to the Work Capability Assessment.  Please see the articles below from rightsnet.org.uk and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Government announces changes to work capability assessment as part of new approach to tackling long term worklessness

Plus 10,000 claimants of 'old style' incapacity benefits to be reassessed every week from October 2010

The government has outlined changes to the work capability assessment (WCA) as part of a new approach to tackling long term worklessness, along with plans to reassess everyone currently on 'old style' incapacity benefits at a rate of 10,000 a week from October 2010.

Following a review of the operation of the WCA - that was introduced alongside employment and support allowance (ESA) in October 2008 - the government has today published a Command Paper, 'Building Bridges to Work', that sets out changes to improve the accuracy of the assessment and steps to migrate everyone claiming benefit on the basis of incapacity to ESA over the next three years, culminating in the abolition of incapacity benefits in April 2014.

Also announcing plans to guarantee all JSA claimants who have been out of work for two years a job or work placement, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Yvette Cooper, said today -

'As the economy recovers, we have to make sure no one is left behind. In the 80s and 90s too many people were abandoned to long term unemployment or sickness benefits, pushing families into poverty, devastating communities and hurting the economy and the taxpayer too. That's why it is more important than ever to press ahead with extra help and welfare reform.'

To this end, amongst the other changes announced today for those claiming benefit on the basis of incapacity are -

• greater recognition of fluctuating conditions in the WCA;

• making the language of the assessment clearer and the process simplified, to support fair and consistent application;
• ensuring appropriate account is taken of individuals' adaptation to their condition or disability;
• placing people awaiting chemotherapy in the support group;
• expanding the support group to cover people with certain communication problems and severe disability due to mental health conditions;
• providing those with limited capability for work with a personalised timetable to be reassessed as a condition of receiving ESA (with a maximum of two years between reassessments) alongside a personalised regime of support and requirements to take up that support;
• providing guaranteed places on the 'Work Choice' specialist disability employment programme to those on ESA who want to work but who do not find work after two years; and
• additional support for people who are fit for work but still managing a health condition or disability, including immediate access to work trials and volunteering programmes and earlier access to the Flexible New Deal and the Future Jobs Fund.

NB - published alongside the Command Paper, a separate document, Work Capability Assessment Internal Review, sets out the findings of the WCA working group established following the commitment in the December 2008 'Raising Expectations' White Paper to consider whether the assessment is achieving its aim of correctly identifying an individual's capability for work. In addition, in Work Capability Assessment Internal Review – Addendum, the DWP's Chief Medical Adviser sets out a complete set of revised descriptors that, following the review, have been accepted by the Secretary of State and will form the basis for further legislative changes to support the introduction of a revised WCA.

29 March 2010 – Building Bridges to Work – helping the long term unemployed back to work

Long-term Jobseekers Allowance claimants will be given the guarantee of a job or work placement as part of the Government’s radical next stage of welfare reform.

Publishing a Command Paper – Building Bridges to Work, the Government will offer all JSA claimants who have been out of work for two years a guaranteed job or work placement to prevent long term unemployment as the economy recovers. Claimants will be required to take up the offer if they cannot find other work to make sure people who lost their jobs during recession aren’t left to a life on benefits.

Alongside this, the Government is today laying regulations to abolish old style Incapacity Benefit and announcing new measures for those on sickness benefits. From October all Incapacity Benefits claimants will be reassessed with a new Work Capability Assessment which looks at what they can do and what help they need, rather than on whether they could do their previous job.

More people are expected to be found fit for work and they will be given extra intensive support from Day one to help them into work. People moving onto the new style Employment and Support Allowance will also be given more personalised help with stronger conditions attached so they can prepare to return to work in future.

Today’s measures will help deliver over £1.5bn pounds in savings from welfare reform over the next four years that are now built into the Treasury budget plans.

Government action has already kept unemployment much lower than expected, and the number of people on sickness benefits has fallen slightly during the recession compared to big increases in the 80s and 90s.

Work and Pensions Secretary of State, Yvette Cooper said:

"As the economy recovers, we have to make sure no one is left behind. In the 80s and 90s too many people were abandoned to long term unemployment or sickness benefits, pushing families into poverty, devastating communities and hurting the economy and the taxpayer too. That's why it is more important than ever to press ahead with extra help and welfare reform.

"This is a "something for something" approach which gives people more help alongside a responsibility to take it up so that no one who is fit for work is left to a life on benefits.

"Getting people back to work is good for families, boosts local economies and helps the public finances too"

Additional help to disabled people will be made available with the creation of a new Work Choice programme from October as well as expanding the Access to Work programme.

The new employment support including the Jobseekers Guarantee will be funded within DWP existing budgets by reshaping the help for long term unemployed through Job Centre Plus and changing the £300m Pathways programme which is not flexible or cost effective enough.

The Command Paper outlines:

• A new guarantee for the long term unemployed of a job or work placement – with a requirement to take it up for those who have been unable to find work for more than two years. Jobs will be provided through extending the Future Jobs Fund as well as private sector and voluntary sector internships and work placements.
• A major overhaul of support and conditions for those on long term sickness benefits including the abolition of old style Incapacity Benefit, and over 10,000 long term claimants each week to be reassessed according to the new Work Capability Assessment which looks at what they can do not what they can’t.
• Changes to the Work Capability Assessment to take better account of people’s ability to adapt to their disability, as well as to be more sensitive to fluctuating conditions such as ME and multiple sclerosis.
• For those whom it would be unreasonable to expect them to move towards work, the ESA Support Group provides additional financial support without the back-to-work activity.
• New personalised support, conditions and timetables for reassessment for those who are currently not fit for  work but may be able to work in future – so they can prepare for work.
• Increased investment and a guaranteed place on Work Choice for ESA customers who have been on benefit for more than 2 years and who want to work.
• Extra intensive help for those found fit for work who have been out of work for years to get them early access to the training and work experience they need to get a job – including support to help manage heath conditions in the work place and specialist help in looking for and applying for jobs. 

The Government expects that the reforms to Incapacity Benefit and Employment Support Allowance will deliver over £1.5bn of savings over the next five years and these are built into the Treasury plans. This is on top of £14bn savings from lower than expected unemployment and a further £1.5bn savings from getting more lone parents into work.

Notes to Editors:

1) The Building Bridges to Work Command paper can be found at: www.dwp.gov.uk/building-bridges-to-work

2) For more information about the Governments welfare reforms please visit www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/legislation-and-key-documents/building-bridges-to-work/

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