ESA-WCA including WCA by Health Condition and Function
ESA-WCA Publications:
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ESA: Work Capability Assessment Statistical Release July 2010
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ESA: Work Capability Assessment Statistical Release April 2010
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ESA: Work Capability Assessment Statistical Release January 2010
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ESA: Work Capability Assessment Statistical Release October 2009
Supplement to WCA Publications � WCA by Health Condition and Function:
The department has also published separate statistics that give information on the ESA caseload (ie the number of people claiming ESA) and the number of ESA on-flows (ie new claims over a period of time) with various breakdowns such as age and gender. On 11th August 2010 the figures include breakdowns by health condition, further details of this can be found here
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca...
PDF version
65 per cent of completed WCA assessments find claimant ‘fit for work’
However, Employment Minister says that Work Programme will ensure that those found fit for work get the support they need to get a job
25 January, 2011
65 per cent of completed work capability assessments (WCA)found the claimant 'fit for work', according to new DWP statistics
Key findings of the 'Employment and Support Allowance: work capability assessment by health condition and functional impairment: Official Statistics January 2011', published today, include -
for all new ESA claims from October 2008 to May 2010, the breakdown of the DWP decision at initial assessment (by the end of October 2010) was -
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support group - 6%;
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work related activity group -16%;
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fit for work - 39%;
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claim closed before assessment complete - 36%;
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assessment still in progress - 3%; and
for all completed initial assessments (not including assessments still in progress or people who left ESA before completing assessment) to the end of August 2010 the breakdown of the DWP decision at initial assessment was -
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support group – 10%;
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work related activity group - 25%; and
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fit for work - 65%.
In relation to appeals, the statistics show that, of people who made a claim for ESA between October 2008 and November 2009 and who were found fit for work, 33% have had an appeal heard by Tribunals Service to date and 40 per cent of those appeals were successful.
Commenting on the statistics, Employment Minister Chris Grayling said -
'It’s unacceptable that so many people have been written off to a lifetime on benefits and these figures show just how vital it is that everyone who has the potential to work receives the right help and support.
We are determined to get the medical assessment right and provide the necessary help for those that need it, however these figures show just how many people are found to be fit for work and not entitled to ESA.
Our new Work Programme will ensure that those found fit for work will get the help and support they need to get a job. Those found too sick or disabled to work won’t be expected to and will continue to receive the support they need to lead fulfilling lives.'
The Employment and Support Allowance: work capability assessment by health condition and functional impairment: Official Statistics January 2011 are available from the DWP website.
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
General Information Bulletin
Department for Work and Pensions, 1st Floor, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London SW1 9NA
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/local-authority-staff/housing-benefit/
HB/CTB G2/2011 8 February 2011
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Contact |
Queries about the · technical content of this bulletin, contact details are given at the end of each article · distribution of this bulletin,contact Corporate Document Services Ltd Orderline Email: orderline@cds.co.uk · bulletin in general, contact Kath Murphy Email: Kath.Murphy@dwp.gsi.gov.uk |
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Who should read |
All Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) staff |
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Action |
For information |
Contents page
Incapacity Benefit/Income Support (IB/IS) Reassessment2
Housing and Council Tax Benefit administration funding. 4
Tell Us Once Account Manager list........... Annex A
Crown Copyright 2011
Recipients may freely reproduce this bulletin.
Incapacity Benefit/Income Support (IB/IS) Reassessment
Background
1 Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) was introduced in October 2008. It replaced Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) and Income Support (IS) paid on the grounds of incapacity, for all new claims. Customers receiving these benefits in October 2008; or those who have made a repeat claim with a link to an earlier claim since this date, have remained on those benefits rather than moving on to ESA.
2 As explained in HB/CTB circular A14/2010, from October 2010, customers still receiving those benefits will have their awards reassessed to see if they are entitled to ESA. If they are, they may be awarded contributory ESA (ESA(C)), income related ESA (ESA(IR)) or a combination of both. HB/CTB circular A14/2010 provided you with guidance on when HB/CTB cases should be
re-assessed and how to apply transitional protection if appropriate.
IB(IS) Reassessment trial
3 The IB(IS) Reassessment exercise is expected to start from 28 February 2011, and will end in March 2014.
4 However, from October 2010, on a trial basis in Aberdeen and Burnley Benefit Delivery Centres (BDC); Jobcentre Plus commenced the early IB(IS) Reassessment exercise involving some 1700 customers.
Purpose of the IB/IS Reassessment trial
5 The purpose of the trial was to provide Jobcentre Plus with an opportunity to evaluate the IB(IS) Reassessment customer journey, including both customer and staff reactions. This information has already been used to inform the national phase.
Progress so far
6 As of 27 January 2011 the IB/IS Reassessment customer journey has commenced for 1693 of the 1700 customers; with a small number of customers opting to withdraw from the reassessment exercise and cease their IB claim.
7 Figures up to 27 January 2011
· 834 customers have been allowed ESA, of those
- 389 have moved into the Support Group
- 445 have moved into the Work Related Activity Group
· 332 customers have been disallowed ESA
· 123 appeals have been received by Jobcentre Plus so far. But as yet, no appeal decisions have been made. 21 customers have however been successfully awarded ESA upon reconsideration of their case pre-appeal
Impact of trial on local authorities (LAs)
8 Eight LAs linked to Burnley and Aberdeen BDCs have been involved with the trial, testing the throughput of data from Jobcentre Plus and the details essential for recalculating Housing Benefit (HB), following a change in award of the primary benefit (IB).
9 To date Jobcentre Plus has sent 225 NHB(ESA) clerical notifications to the LAs involved with the trial; providing details of IB/IS reassessment decisions, when there is a HB interest.
10 We are currently evaluating the process to identify any improvements that can be made before national go live.
National IB/IS Reassessment exercise
11 The national IB/IS Reassessment exercise is to commence on 28 February 2011. Previous updates to the Practitioners Operational Group (POG) and HB/CTB circular A23/2010 advised that Jobcentre Plus were planning to stockpile cases awaiting a re-assessment decision until the full IT upgrade was introduced towards the end of May 2011. Jobcentre Plus has now revised these plans and we can confirm that the decision-making process will go ahead from 28 February 2011, as and when cases flow through the process. However, until the IT upgrade is introduced, notifications to LAs will be sent clerically, in the same manner as they have in the trial areas.
12 The national IB/IS Reassessment exercise will be implemented with a phased approach to allow the process to bed in. In line with the agreement to implement a clerical process initially, Jobcentre Plus will manage their IB/IS Reassessment customers as follows
· around 1,000 cases per week from the 28 February 2011
· around 7,000 cases per week from the 4 April 2011
· around 11,000 cases per week from 9 May 2011
13 These caseload figures will be reviewed in line with changes to Jobcentre Plus business needs both locally and nationally. LAs should work closely with their Jobcentre Plus External Relations Managers to ensure they are kept informed of any changes.
14 All cases will be dealt with clerically until the relevant changes are made to Jobcentre Plus IT systems on the 23 May 2011 (scheduled implementation date). As in the IB/IS Reassessment trial, Jobcentre Plus will send the NHB(ESA) clerical notification to inform LAs of the decisions being made as a result of this process.
15 For further details on the clerical process and how it impacts on LAs, please refer to the Early IB/IS Reassessment circular HB/CTB A16/2010. Operational guidance for national rollout, with fully supported IT from Jobcentre Plus, can be found in circular HB/CTB A23/2010.
16 If you have any further questions please use the following e-mail address
Housing and Council Tax Benefit administration funding
17 We have become aware that there are some misapprehensions about the future funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for HB/CTB administration.
18 In the past we did announce an overall HB/CTB funding level over the three years of the CSR07 period from 2008/09 to 2010 /11. For SR10 the DWP has only announced funding (and distribution) for 2011/12, and this applies to both Jobcentre Plus and Employment Providers too.
19 We will be in a position to announce the overall level of funding for 2012/13 later this year to ensure LAs have planning certainty for the following year.
We will also be discussing the allocation distribution with representatives of the LAs.
20 Please direct any queries about this item to Andrew.Curphey@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
The Tell Us Once programme
21 During 2011 a service that allows people to tell central and local government just once of a birth or a death will be rolled out nationally. This information will be passed on the citizen’s behalf to the relevant LA services and central government departments.
22 Currently 42 ‘Early Adopter’ LAs are offering the service and more will be joining in stages later this year. Initially the Early Adopters are offering the bereavement service and will then move to introduce the birth service.
23 The HB department in participating LAs will be one of the areas that may receive these notifications if the deceased was in receipt of HB/CTB. The advantage of this service is that payments can be cancelled or amended faster which helps reduce overpayments.
24 To access Tell Us Once, LAs and central government will need to use the Employee Authentication Service (EAS). This is the same security technology that LA will use to access the Customer Information System (CIS).
25 Please see Annex A for details of Tell Us Once Account Managers for each region who can provide you with information about Tell Us Once and give you the name of the Tell Us Once lead in your LA.
26 In addition, the following link on Directgov shows the LAs that are currently offering the service and will be updated as new ones come on board
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_188683
10 February 2011 – Grayling: initial reassessments of those on IB in Aberdeen and Burnley show large numbers of claimants with the potential to return to work
The first published findings from the Government’s incapacity benefit reassessment programme have confirmed that a substantial proportion of claimants have the capacity to return to work if they receive the right help to do so.
The provisional figures show that we have made 1347 decisions of which:
- 399 have been found fit for work (29.6%)
- 422 are in the support group for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – this means they will receive unconditional support (31.3%)
- 526 are in the Work Related Activity of ESA – this means with the right help and support they can start the journey back to work (39%)
The Government will continue with its plan for a further limited roll-out from the end of this month before the full nationwide launch in April. Once the nationwide roll-out begins around 1.5m people will be assessed. The Government is already well advanced with the introduction of changes to the work capability assessment recommended in the recent Harrington report and all the planned changes will be in place for the full national roll-out of the programme.
In tandem with the first nationwide decisions coming through in the summer, the Government’s new Work Programme will come on stream, providing comprehensive specialist help to all those with the capability to work.
Employment Minister Chris Grayling said:
"The initial findings from Burnley and Aberdeen serve to underline why it’s right to reassess IB claimants and to launch the Work Programme to give those who can work the specialist help they need to do so. Too many people were simply abandoned to a life on benefits; we are determined to put a stop to that terrible waste of potential.
"The welfare state in this country is no longer fit for purpose that’s why our broad range of reforms are so important."
Notes to Editors
The reassessment of incapacity benefits customers which began in the surrounding areas of Burnley and Aberdeen in October, is expected to take three years to complete.
Media Enquiries: 0203 267 5129/5123
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk
Employment and Support Allowance: Work Capability Assessment
ESA-WCA including WCA by Health Condition and Function
65 per cent of completed WCA assessments find claimant ‘fit for work’
ESA-WCA Publications:
Supplement to WCA Publications - WCA by Health Condition and Function:
WCA by Health Condition and Function - August 2010
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca_arc