DWP confirms that action will now be taken where claimant fails to attend ESA or universal credit telephone health assessment without good reason

Email to stakeholders advises that, from 2 November 2020, claimants who fail to attend may have their ESA stopped or universal credit entitlement changed

The DWP has confirmed that action will now be taken where a claimant fails to attend an employment and support allowance (ESA) or universal credit telephone health assessment without good reason.

In an email to stakeholders yesterday, the DWP's Communications Directorate says that -

'When telephone health assessments were introduced in employment and support allowance (ESA) and universal credit earlier this year, an easement was in put in place so that Fail to Attend (FTA) and Fail to Participate (FTP) actions were not taken as a result of someone not attending a scheduled telephone assessment.'

However, the DWP adds that, from 2 November 2020, the ESA and universal credit telephone assessment appointment letters will make it clear that claimants must attend their telephone appointment, and that -

'FTA and FTP action will commence, eg benefit may be stopped (ESA) or entitlement change (universal credit), for those who have been issued with this letter and fail to attend or participate in their appointments without good reason.'

NB - in a written answer to parliament on 17 July 2020, DWP Minister Justin Tomlinson advised that face-to-face assessments for universal credit and ESA were paused due to COVID-19 from 17 March 2020, and that telephone assessments began a piloted roll out from 4 May 2020 where only limited capability for work-related activity recommendations were being made.

Update: (6 November 2020) - the DWP has now also published details of the new telephone assessment process in its latest Touchbase update.