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Under employment and support allowance, the personal capability assessment has been replaced by a new medical test: the work capability assessment.
Not everyone will have to have a medical examination. A small percentage of employment and support allowance claimants will be found to be incapable of work-related activity and eligible to join the Support Group. The aim of the DWP is that these claimants will, wherever possible, be assessed just on the basis of evidence from their doctor and/or the evidence in their completed questionnaire.
For those who do have to undergo a medical, the process is divided into:
- a limited capability for work assessment
- a limited capability for work-related activity assessment
- a work-focused health related assessment.
Limited capability for work assessment
The limited capability for work assessment will be used to decide whether the claimant meets the medical criteria for claiming employment and support allowance. The medical will be similar to the current Personal Capability Assessment in style. Doctors and nurses will continue to rely on LiMA computer software to carry out the assessment.
As with the Personal Capability Assessment the physical test is divided into a range of activities and the claimant needs to score 15 points to pass. However, the much harsher revised test to be used with Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) contains fewer physical activities and so this part of the examination may be quicker to complete.
The employment and support allowance mental health test, on the other hand, is much more complex than the current one and claimants with mental health conditions may take longer to assess than currently. The new test is similar in style to the current physical health test, being divided into a range of activities and descriptors. Again, claimants need to score at least 15 points to pass.
Claimants who get a combined score of 15 or more from the physical and mental health test will also pass.
Limited capability for work-related activity assessment.
This further test will be undertaken to decide whether the claimant is so severely disabled that they qualify for the Support Group or whether they should be place in the work-related activity group. Like the first test, it is based on a number of activities. But in this test if the claimant is incapable of carrying out any single one of the descriptors this will be sufficient to pass the test.
Work-focused health related assessment
This will be a further assessment, probably carried out as part of the same medical. It will concentrate on which activities the claimant can still manage and suggest condition management programmes, aids and adaptations which might help get the claimant into work. The resulting capability report will be used by the private sector Personal Adviser when carrying out the five compulsory work focused interviews.
Take the test
You can find out whether you think you will qualify for ESA and which group you should be in by taking our ESA Self-Assessment Test.
Introduction to Employment and Support Allowance training day
Tuesday 7 October 2008 10am - 4.00pm Bristol
Download Employment and Support Allowance training flyer in .pdf format
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