thank you to THT (Terrence Higgins Trust) for making this available to us.

PDCS Advisory Forum

To:                         PDCS Advisory Forum Members

Subject:            IB Reassessments for customers living abroad

Timing:            For Information

Why is this paper coming to the PDCS Advisory Forum?

To inform you about how the Incapacity Benefit (IB) Reassessment process will work for those customers currently living abroad.

Background

As you will be aware, the following benefits are being phased out:-

·      Incapacity Benefit

·      Income Support paid because of an illness or disability

·      Severe Disablement Allowance

Customers will have their claim reviewed to see if they are eligible for Employment and Support Allowance.

Jobcentre Plus will issue customers a questionnaire asking about how their long term condition or disability affects their ability to complete everyday tasks.  The completed questionnaire will then help to decide if the customer needs to attend a face to face assessment to enable Jobcentre Plus to find out whether the customer might be capable of work.

Customers Living in the UK

If the customer is found to be capable of work Jobcentre Plus will contact them to discuss their benefit options.

If the customer is entitled to Employment and Support Allowance their benefit will be automatically transferred and there will be no break in the payments that they receive.  Depending on how severe the customer’s disability or health condition is, they will be placed in one of two groups.

• Work Related Activity Group – Support will be given for preparation to suitable work
• Support Group – this group will not be expected to look for work and will receive support that they need.

Customers living abroad

Customers living outside the UK may receive

·      Incapacity Benefit

·      Severe Disablement Allowance

These benefits will be reviewed to see if the customers are eligible for Employment and Support Allowance.

The review is the same as for customers living in the UK, but the way the reassessment is organised will be different.

The International Pension Centre will write to customers when their benefit claim is going to be reviewed and include the medical questionnaire.

If the customer needs to have a face-to-face assessment the International Pension Centre will arrange an appointment with a health care professional who resides in their country. The customer can also choose to return to the UK for the assessment but will need to pay for the travel costs themselves.

The results from the assessment will then be sent to the DWP medical services contractor in the UK who will use it to produce a report on how the customer’s disability affects them.

A letter will be issued to the customer advising them if they are entitled to Employment and Support Allowance.  The letter will detail how the decision will affect them and what to do if they think the decision is wrong.

If you would like to discuss any part of note further, please contact Sue Pullen on the details provided below:-

Regards,

PDCS Customer Consultation Manager"