There has been a major change to who carries out benefits assessments, including for personal independence payment (PIP) and the work capability assessment (WCA) for universal credit (UC)and employment and support allowance (ESA).  The Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) have taken over providing assessments from 7 September 2024.

The DWP say that if you have received a letter from your previous provider with an appointment date after 7 September, you should follow the instructions on your letter and attend your appointment. If you need further information, new providers' telephone lines will be up and running from1pm on Monday 9 September.

HAAS is part of the DWP.  (Confusingly, HAAS was the name used solely by Maximus up until 6 September, when they carried out WCAs as CHDAUK). HAAS provides training, guidance and software for assessors.  But the assessors themselves work for private sector companies.  There are four companies involved in carrying out benefits assessments:

  • Maximus cover Northern England and Scotland (though PIP has been replaced by ADP in Scotland and is not part of the contract)
  • Capita cover the Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Serco cover South West England and South Central England
  • Ingeus cover South East England, London and East Anglia

In addition, a small number of assessments are now done directly by the DWP.

You can find a full list of all the postcodes and which HAAS provider covers them on the .gov.uk website

These private sector companies carry out all benefits assessments in their geographical area, including for:

  • Personal independence payment assessments
  • Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) for universal credit and employment and support allowance.
  • Disability living allowance (child)
  • Industrial injuries disablement benefit
  • Veterans UK

The assessments remain entirely separate, however, there is no joint assessment that combines both PIP and the WCA at a single meeting.  

All the providers offer face-to-face, video and telephone assessments.

But Capita appears to be something of an outlier amongst the service providers. 

It was the last to get its website online today, by some hours.

In addition, whilst the other three providers have published details of all their face-to-face assessment centres, Capita has not done so, at least as yet.

For video assessments, all the providers are using the DWP’s version of  “Attend Anywhere” software, which is also used by the NHS for video consultations. 

But while the other providers all have a simple direct link from their websites to a waiting room for claimants, Capita has no such link and requires claimants to read through long, complex instructions or watch two videos  before typing in a web address to get to the waiting room.

Although all the assessment providers are covering all the benefits listed above, for the time being most assessors will only carry out either PIP assessments or WCAs, depending on which they have been employed to do up until now.  Only after they have undergone training in other assessments, will they be able to carry them out.

So, from a claimants point of view, although the company making the profits may have changed, there will be virtually no difference in the experience of being assessed for PIP, ESA or UC.

However, with the DWP now having complete control over training, software and guidance it will be more straightforward for changes to be rolled-out in the future.

Possibilities include changes to the WCA as Labour push to get more disabled claimants into employment, changes to PIP activities which may be unveiled in the coming months in order to cut the benefits bill and a combined PIP and WCA assessment to cut assessment costs.

But for the moment, it’s simply business as usual.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Rik · 18 days ago
    What I find fascinating about these assessments is a very limited number of post codes have assessments carried out by the DWP themselves. Anyone know why that is?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    L T · 18 days ago
    Is Esa contribution based support group moving to uc could anyone explain please 
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    David · 19 days ago
    Vicksis you are worrying unnecessarily. PIP is not changing. There is no migration for PIP. Your situation remains the same. Hope this helps. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jon · 19 days ago
    Has everyone on this forum had there UC migration letter as I've not received one yet?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 17 days ago
      @MrFibro Aren't you a few months away from state pension age? You won't need to claim UC if you getting the pension.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 17 days ago
      @Dee Me too, it's a relief when the Postman walks past my house, at least I know I'm safe for another day.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 18 days ago
      @Jon Me neither. 
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      Dee · 18 days ago
      @Jon Not had mine ,but dreading it, it feels like I'm living on eggshells. Scared every time the post comes.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 18 days ago
      @James h Thanks
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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Vicksis · 19 days ago
    Please tell me do the reassessment s and migration from PIP affect those that have been awarded PIP ENHANCED RATE X2 ONGOING after years of reassments ? 
    Thanks 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 17 days ago
      @K @K, I thought Starmer &Co wanted to put a plug into the imaginary so-called 22 billion black hole asap.  Does this white paper have to go to the house of Lords too, for scrutinizing, and then judged before it can get put into motion ie rolled out.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Sol hall · 18 days ago
      @K I'm still waiting to hear about my pip and I think from the form they sent me  because  my son helped me I don't need enhanced  anymore. But ESA AND PIP SEEM MIXED TOGETHER
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      K · 19 days ago
      @Vicksis PIP is not affected for the moment. The changes to PIP if they come will be next year after the white paper is debated and then an act of parliament is passed which will probably be done after the King's speech in the Spring probably around May. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Bob · 19 days ago
    Does anyone know if ESA re assessments are still being carried out. I was last assessed in 2019 Ben told different things. Someone commented that although they have got some of the backlog cleared they are dealing with new claimants.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 18 days ago
      @Anon Anon would they still migrate claimants who are a few months away from retirement.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 18 days ago
      @James h The Government website states ESA to UC will begin Autumn 2024 and everyone should have been moved over by December 2025.

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      James h · 19 days ago
      @Bob @Bob I’m still esa wrag 2018 think they waiting for the budget October 30th before the esa to uc income related might then start November /december might not receive any letters till summer 2025 depending how slow or fast they go so doubt any reassessments will happen now as the migration will possibly be happening soon 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Jon · 20 days ago
    Didn't labour say people could try out work without the risk of losing benefits if the job doesn't work out
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 19 days ago
      @MrFibro Yes true
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @Jon The problem I see is this Jon.  Even if disabled people decided to lets say do some part time graft.  The employers would or should have to adjust your place of work to suit your disabilities.  Otherwise not doing so, that would be deemed discriminating in the least.  Starmers muppets & Co have not really though any of this out.  

      What they should do.... is send everyone whose on ESA/ESA WRAG / ESA SG & or PIP.
      and ask them how they feel about trying some work out.

      Then they would realize how wrong Kendall is.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @Jon Yes they did, but more likely labour would deny you their pledge.  Instead expect you to simply find another job. Labour is just another ( kull ) machine.  And the politicians & civil servants simply will never be made accountable.  If you can read the book.... THE DEPARTMENT, by John Pring.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      lesley · 19 days ago
      @MJ you are not the only one who had a response to something on here cancelled.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 19 days ago
      @James h Yes your right could get nasty me personally with my conditions could perhaps work part time if anybody will employ me
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    rookie · 22 days ago
    I don't get this "getting people on pip into work" thing. Pip isn't an out of work benefit. There are people who get pip who are in work, people who get pip but no means tested benefits- why should they work? It would be like saying you have to work when you get your pension.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Clare · 22 days ago
    How are The DWP going to be able to get anyone on PIP into work When they cannot even get reviews done within a reasonable timeframe 
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      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @Jon Still there's not enough jobs to go round.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @Clare It's all about kicking you off benefits, so they can cook the books, and say there's less unemployment etc.   
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 22 days ago
      @Clare I think they have 16 thousand work coaches so if each of them has a caseload of 300 claimants that's enough to cover the disabled and job seekers
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Clive m stone · 22 days ago
    Daily express, birmingham live ect ect stop scaremongering people when you dnt have any facts WHAT SO EVER!! Pure speculation. With no evedience in sight at all... totaly vile journalism, getting likes for clickbates off the back of mentaly torturing people on bennefits... jesus evil doesnt cut it 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @Anon Left wing & right wing papers no difference between them.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 22 days ago
      @Clive m stone I agree and it's also other newspapers as well,all the vile stories are damaging peoples mental health,there are no facts to support their claims and its Purley scaremongering to get clicks on their page,I hope they are made to eat humble pie and appologise for their mental torture of the sick and disabled,a huge fine would be a start,there should be consequences to their evil actions
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Clive m stone · 22 days ago
    Try not to worry!! What ever is said on the 31st of october will take ages to come to fruition. They wnt stop or cut bennefits the 1st of november what so ever. They have to wait for the white paper, then that has to be disscused, then passed by law. And that can take 12 to 24 months minimum.. the MSM OUTLETS ARE VILE , IGNORE THE LOT.. WE STILL HAVE BREATHING SPACE X 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jay nutter · 18 days ago
      @MrFibro MrFibro think I got reassessed from ib to esa back in 2011 I was seeing a psychologist in the nut house at the time so I got sg 2 years but since then been hanging on in the esa wrag for years only had recent diagnosis for autism aged 50 when Covid’s struck too 
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      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @Jay nutter They said that about when ESA was going to come out.  I was on the old IB,  as soon as it was out, within 4 weeks of ESA  being rolled out, I had been assessed, scorded 0 points out of 15, found fit for work, and I had lodged my appeal.

      It was a typical classic Tory bull in a china shop game .  Roll it out it, if they don't like it, then they can appeal.

      I did I won my appeal, I went into the ESA WRAG, then sometime later I eventually went into ESA SG.

      There I have been parked up quite happily for a few years now.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @lesley Exactly Lesley.  It will also put a lot of GP's, consultants, nurses etc to go on the sick, or even jack in the NHS all together, and cause more of a brain drain in the UK.  Due to BURNOUT caused by labour.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      lesley · 22 days ago
      @MrFibro Gonna cost the NHS more when people have breakdowns and relapses and need to go into hospital.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 22 days ago
      @Clive m stone They will make sure that it get fast tracked.  Talk about a bull in a porcelain shop.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    DJ · 23 days ago
    UK Treasury refuses to disclose key details of £22bn fiscal ‘black hole’
    Freedom of information request by FT seeking breakdown of government overspend is declined

    The UK Treasury is refusing to provide key details of the £22bn fiscal “black hole” that chancellor Rachel Reeves claims to have discovered, with officials
    insisting they need more time to ensure the figures are accurate.
    The Treasury’s stance will fuel doubts about the transparency of the Labour government, which has also refused to publish an assessment of the impact of
    means-testing winter fuel payments on 10 millon pensioners.

    https://www.ft.com/content/7f686444-7036-4efc-82c5-971b0f3929fa
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Rose · 20 days ago
      @Anon Nobody will look after us !!!!
      Reform, tories and labour see us 'sick and disabled' as a 'burden' and a 'hindrance' !!!

      I've always been a labour voter, always worked, but working is impossible for me now because I have multiple auto immune diseases.

      I never asked to be ill, none of us did, but we have been vilified and harassed for years by the msm, dwp and main political parties.

      I'm sick to death of it all !!!

      I'm going into hospital shortly for yet another major surgery, I'm immune suppressed and on many meds including 'long term chemo' and on top of that I now have this worry about pip and esa  and reform and cuts etc.

      Honestly I'm sure 'THEY '(all culprits mentioned above) are trying to kill off the sick and disabled with stress and 'freezing' the pensioners to death...because of course the 'imaginary black hole' will then be reduced.

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 22 days ago
      @Rocco At this rate  there'll be noone left to vote for, Conservatives will take everything the disabled have,labour are also not going to he kind to us,and as for reform,they'll privatise the NHS leaving many sick and disabled to go rot,so who's gunna look after us?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 22 days ago
      @DJ I don't believe they have a 22 billion black hole,they're saving a fortune with people deciding not to claim uc from legacy benefits, even if they have,close the tax loopholes and go after the non does,tax the profits of the energy giants, it's ridiculous that they're taking money literally off the backs of the worst off people in the country, they're all the same politicians,they look after themselves first,how's about not giving  them a heating allowance for starts,they don't need it!!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Bronc · 22 days ago
      @Rocco I quite agree. It is shameful this new Labour government is committed to carrying on Tory austerity.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 22 days ago
      @K @K  you knocked the nail right on the head.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Holly · 23 days ago
    The daily record have reported that liz kendall and her gov have taken on expert and had set up a board for the white paper to go ahead to get 80percent of us into work these experts are not experts in mental or physical health they are experts in things like  how to drag a disabled person back into work legally by course control  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      K · 22 days ago
      @Holly Ordinarily I would not mind if they gave sustainable do-able jobs to the disabled and sick that they can really do and not be pushed around over and at a living wage for them. Without this all the plans are nothing but hog wash if you ask me. Jobs that are secure that have the proper adjustments to them and ones that will improve the lives and living conditions for the disabled is one thing but jobs that will only result in them becoming ill or worse dead is something else
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 23 days ago
      @Holly Holly there's not enough jobs for the millions of disabled people to apply and go for anyway.  Its all the old rhetoric against disabled people bla bla bla.  Labour started all this charade decades ago and now after the conservatives have took a bow, its back to labour again.  The new blue labour consisting of middle, upper class politicians.  Not like the old working class labour politicians, who were there originally for the working class people.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 23 days ago
      @Holly There's only 900 thousand job vacancies and there's 2.8 million disabled plus well over a million job seekers
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA · 23 days ago
    https://www.campaignfordisabilityjustice.org.uk/

    A new initiative by the wonderful charities who are trying to support us.  Hope everybody can join up.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 22 days ago
      @CaroA Yes Carol its unbelievable how governments can get away with all of this.  No detergent could ever wash away the blood, which all of these have on their hands.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      CaroA · 22 days ago
      @mrfibro Yes thanks Mr fibro I've read it too... shocking how they have covered everything up for so many years and how much the discredited insurance industry from USA has been involved with developing the Work Capability Assessment system here.  They were discredited because of the systematic denial of paying out disability claims there but somehow the labor government back then thought it would be a good idea to introduce their discredited methods for our disability benefit assessment system here! I hope some MPs have read this essential book before the parliamentary debate on October 7th.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 22 days ago
      @(No) hope What amazed me is that the civil servants and senior civil servants seem to rule the DWP's roost.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 22 days ago
      @(No) hope Just read John Prings book about it.  The DEPARTMENT.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      (No) hope · 23 days ago
      @CaroA This lot really are tone deaf, as someone in a previous post also called them.They have ignored the findings of the UN regarding policy treatment of the sick and disabled, various charities have called them out since the spring, when welfare reforms were first mooted….and they’ve remained coldly silent. It puzzles me how the cruel and vindictive thoughts and plans of approximately a handful of individuals, plans that are likely to result in fatal outcomes for some, are allowed to see the light of day… and they usher them through with complete impunity. A real s*** shower of humanity. Vent over.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Arthur · 23 days ago
    What is it with Politicians and presumably the DWP that they we need guiding(actually means we don't care where you go as long as we get you off benefits)
    back into work. We would all go if there were reasonably paying jobs we could do.
    Why in hell we would choose to rely on benefits to survive unless we have to.
    They like to roll out there are x number of vacancies to be filled.
    When you look these vacancies are all zero hours temp contract type. Nearly all are physically demanding jobs that are suited to fit non disabled people who go home physically tired and fatigued and they expect people with chronic health issue to do the same jobs. They lie when they say oh there are plenty of jobs that disabled people could do that allowances will be made by employers for them.
    Can't see it myself can you?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Arthur · 20 days ago
      @mrfibro Thank you for pointing out that Employers do not want people with long term health conditions. They only ever make changes and allowances for people that they already have as employees. They only do that because they have to not because they want to. 
      In reality they would get rid of every person with health conditions affecting their ability to give 100% to whatever job they are doing.
      Whatever the lying politicians say they cannot force employers to take on people with health issues. It is simply a fact that they will always want people without health problems. People that can give them 100% day in day out. The only way people like us with disabilities could get a job is to hide your history and lie that you are 100% healthy. For course we aren't and it will soon become apparent we aren't when we need time off or can't do parts of whatever job we get
      Eventually you'll be back out of work and then have go through the nightmare of reapplying for benefit taking medicals filling in forms just to hopefully survive.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 22 days ago
      @mrfibro Mr fibro you have only got 8 months left until retirement so I don't see how these changes can affect you
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Dee · 22 days ago
      @Matt Or crippled with arthritis or weak hearts , bet that will go down well not knowing if your new employee will drop dead on the job 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro · 22 days ago
      @Arthur Apart from getting disabled back into fully paid jobs.  The biggy is this... are employers willing and or going to accept disabled people in their workplaces in the first place, and also if so, are they willing and accommodating to adjust the disabled employees place of work to suit their disability /s needs.

      Once again labour is back to where they first started all of this game decades ago.  They have taken the voters for mugs.  They will cause more countless deaths because of their ruthless regime, and again no one will be made accountable as usual.

      Labour will simply place the blame on the Tories.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Matt · 23 days ago
      @Arthur Allowances? Will employers pay for those unable to drive due to visual impairment?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Angel · 23 days ago
    Everything is becoming way too expensive, things going up in shops all the time. Then cuts - don’t know how going to survive.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Simon · 22 days ago
      @Angel Yep, tell me about it. It's cold comfort, but there are 1000s of us out here now, worried about the day to day and the possible cuts down the line. I guess all we can do is stay connected and hook up with others locally going through the same thing. All the best.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    HRH · 23 days ago
    im highly anxious about the proposed changes to PIP, i have been searching for reliable and during my research for info, i found this gem on yesterdays big issue (11/09/2024) re changing PIP from cash to vouchers

    (…) That’s even before we consider that there is an active legal case against the consultation on which the plans are based. The disability activist Ellen Clifford, supported by Public Law Project and backed by Z2K, is bringing a claim against the rushed and unfair consultation on these plans, due to be heard on 10-11 December. If successful, the action could make the justification for bringing forward these plans even shakier.

    the article is here …
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Simon · 22 days ago
      @HRH Any changes won't be rolled out immediately (if ever) - I know it's easy for me to say, I am autistic and my brain goes into anxiety overload with ease, but try not to overthink the situation and take things day by day. All the best. You aren't on your own.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Elizabeth Vidler · 23 days ago
    Preparing myself to lose PIP, lost daily living at last award, had  contribution based esa for sometime readying myself for it to go, my condition has not improved but is always disputed as it is seizures which they consider will go away despite having been there for 40 years, but they seem to have more medical knowdledge than my London based consulants, I give up.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Claire · 23 days ago
    Here’s a question, see the WCA and PIP are they different companies in Scotland from England and Wales? If so, is explaining your disabilities more difficult or what? 

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