To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proposal in the 2013 Spending Round to make jobseeker's allowance claimants wait seven days before becoming eligible for financial support will apply to those moving directly to the benefit from (a) employment and support allowance and (b) incapacity benefit.

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

The detail of the new policy is still to be decided. However, under current rules, people are exempt from waiting days if they claim jobseeker's allowance within 12 weeks of entitlement to employment and support allowance or incapacity benefit, coming to an end.