Work Capability Assessment
Work and Pensions

Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West, Labour)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

(1) how many people have undergone the work capability assessment since April 2011, by week;

(2) how many people have undergone the work capability assessment since April 2011.

Chris Grayling (Minister of State (Employment), Work and Pensions; Epsom and Ewell, Conservative)

The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). The latest report on monthly assessments was published in January 2012 and can be found on the internet at the following link:

http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca

Information on a weekly basis is not available.

Tables 2a and 2b accompanying the bulletin show that between April 2011 and August 2011, the latest information available, 239,200 ESA claims went through the WCA process.

Figures for the number of existing incapacity benefit (IB) recipients undergoing reassessment for ESA via the WCA are not yet available. The Department plans to publish official statistics on outcomes of the WCA for claimants going through the IB reassessment process and will be announcing publication on the statistics publication hub in due course.