Health assessments for benefits

Work and Pensions Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 27 Sep 2021 Closed: 7 Aug 2023 Parliament page
The Committee investigated the assessment processes for health-related benefits. These include Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit. The Committee is focusing on how the Department for Work and Pensions can improve the application and assessment processes … Read more
25 Recommendations
4 Conclusions
2 Reports
9 Oral sessions
3 Letters
9 Events
Activity timeline 24 events
Oral evidence sessions 9 sessions
Work and Pensions Committee
Chloe Smith MP · Cabinet Office Gill Holmes · Department for Work and Pensions Katie Farrington · Department for Work and Pensions
Work and Pensions Committee
Ben Macpherson MSP · Scottish Government Matthew Duff · Scottish Government Peter Schofield · Department for Work and Pensions Professor Paul Knight OBE · Social Security Scotland Rt Hon Dr Thérèse Coffey · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Work and Pensions Committee
Dr Ben Baumberg Geiger · University of Kent Professor Ben Barr · University of Liverpool
Work and Pensions Committee
Antony King · Capita Dr Barrie McKillop · Independent Assessment Services Dr Paul Williams · Maximus Emma-Jane Bannister · Maximus Laura Erskine · Capita Stuart Paterson · Independent Assessment Services Suzie Frew · Maximus
Work and Pensions Committee
Aaron Dryden · Carers UK Caroline Selman · Public Law Project Daphne Hall · National Association of Welfare Rights Advisers (NAWRA) Dr Kieran Sharrock · British Medical Association (BMA) Hannah Nicholls-Harrison · Disability Benefits Consortium Mark Jackson · Marie Curie Minesh Patel · Mind
Work and Pensions Committee
Andy Pike · The Royal British Legion Caroline Cooke · Forces in Mind Trust Philip Martin · University of Salford/Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers
Work and Pensions Committee
Catherine Hale · Chronic Illness Inclusion Project Jane Hunt · Association of Disabled Professionals Jasmine Wyeth · Rethink Mental Illness Patricia Vespucio · GIPSIL Sarah Rawlings · MS Society Tracey Lazard · Inclusion London
Work and Pensions Committee
Charles Smith · Citizens Advice Evan John · Sense Hannah Nicholls-Harrison · Mencap Helen Wild · Down’s Syndrome Association Joanne Gordon · Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK Louise Rubin · Scope Marc Francis · Zacchaeus 2000 Trust (Z2K) Morgan Vine · Independent Age Sophie Corlett · Mind
Work and Pensions Committee
Dr Paul Litchfield CBE · Department for Work and Pensions Paul Gray CB · Department for Work and Pensions
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
3 Recommendation Deferred
Fifth Report - Health assessments …
The Department should provide the Committee with a quarterly update on progress with implementing the...
The Department should provide the Committee with a quarterly update on progress with implementing the Section 23 Agreement once it is agreed.
Government Response
The government deferred providing quarterly updates on the Section 23 Agreement, stating that discussions with the EHRC are ongoing and legally privileged, making it inappropriate to discuss the contents of any agreement or future information while confidential discussions are underway.
Department for Work and Pensions
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8 Recommendation Deferred
Fifth Report - Health assessments …
Face-to-face, in person assessments were the main form of assessment for Personal Independence Payment and...
Face-to-face, in person assessments were the main form of assessment for Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance/Universal Credit before the pandemic, despite widespread agreement amongst claimants and the organisations that support them that they are frequently unnecessarily stressful … Read more
Government Response
The Department is evaluating remote assessments through the Health Assessment Channel Trial, scheduled to complete later this year, and will use the evidence to inform how their multi-channelled service capability can be optimised, including whether claimants will be able to choose their preferred assessment channel.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Government Response AI assessment · 29 of 25 classified

Total 25 recs + 4 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
12 Jul 2023 Correspondence with the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work relating to the Government's Response to the Health assessments for benefits report
Parliament page
7 Sep 2022 Correspondence from the Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work following oral evidence for the health assessments for benefits inquiry
Parliament page
7 Sep 2022 Correspondence from Social Security Scotland in connection with the health assessments for benefits inquiry
Parliament page