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Who no longer needs to be re-assessed for ESA?
The government announced back in October that those with chronic conditions that were not going to get better would no longer be re-assessed for ESA. The only details I can find come from news agencies reports of Damian Green’s speech and say that the detail will be worked out with health professionals.
Has this happened? Anyone got a link? What exactly was announced?
Autism was one of the no-more-testing conditions that was mentioned and a young person with severe autism has just been sent a re-assessment form. Wondering where we stand with the government’s newly announced policy. Do I play safe and fill the whole thing in again, or write back pointing out the policy which they are ignoring—or do both?
Green announced an intention to scrap some re-assessments at some future point to be determined. Nothing has changed in terms of the actual policy being applied.
As far as I’m aware nothing has moved on since this briefing paper in December: http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7820
So yes, your client absolutely needs to complete the form.
Well it is clearly not happening in practice yet, see Sigh
Written answer in parliament yesterday says -
This change will come into effect in 2017 and will apply to those placed in Employment and Support Allowance’s Support Group and the Universal Credit equivalent.
Whilst the new criteria and process for this group of claimants is developed, we do not plan to reassess claimants who had the most severe health conditions or disabilities when they had their first Work Capability Assessment. We are currently working with stakeholders to develop the new criteria and, when finalised, we will revisit this group to confirm the position, but we expect this will not require a face-to-face assessment.
So if they’re not scrapping reassessments as such but only the face-to-face WCA, it’s eminently possible that people will still be required to complete ESA50’s and supply medical evidence then?
I’m not sure if it’s a once off revisit and then they’re left alone - and, if so, hopefully for new claimants would only be one assessment at the beginning of their claim - but guess we just have to wait and see…
This exchange is helpful for reassessments
Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)
Last year, the Government announced that those with chronic progressive conditions would not be subjected to continual work capability assessments. Why are constituents of mine with progressive conditions like multiple sclerosis continually being called for reassessment?
Penny Mordaunt
If the hon. Lady has cases she wishes me to look at, she must write to me about them. We are currently still outlining the criteria for the scheme to be introduced, but in the meantime, as she will know, we do not wish to call people for reassessment who would be in that category, so if she has cases where that is happening, she must let me know.
Thanks all. I’ve done this form and had both claimant and appointee sign it. The ESA50 says the claimant must sign if they can. The gov.uk post makes it clear that the appointee must sign in order to be liable.
This is a severely autistic person so if they are called to a WCA I shall follow up as suggested by Penny Mordaunt.
Disability hustings being streamed live now on youtube - you should be able to watch back I think - Penny Mordaunt says the guidance for when they won’t reassess by late summer (about 30 minutes into the hustings).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n30JAuXEA6o&feature=youtu.be