The DWP published the latest statistics for universal credit (UC) and employment and support allowance (ESA) work capability assessments (WCA) this month.  The figures show an increases of 300,000 in the number of claimants receiving UC health in the last year, with seven out of ten UC health claimants being found to have limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA).  For ESA claimants, two thirds of all initial WCAs resulted in the claimant being placed in the support group.

UC statistics

At June 2024, the number of people receiving UC health had risen to 2.1 million, up from 1.8 million a year earlier.  This is an increase of 2%, up to 31% of all people claiming UC.

71% of all UC health claimants were assessed as having limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA).

In the 5 years to May 2024, 2.7 million WCA decisions have been made.  15% found that the claimant had no limited capability for work, 19% limited capability for work (LCW), and 66% limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA).

The DWP claim that of all WCA decisions in the period January 2022 to May 2024, at least 69% are recorded as having mental and behavioural disorders.  However, they add that this may not be their primary medical condition, raising a question mark over the value of this statistic and the reason for highlighting it..

The proportion recorded as having mental and behavioural disorders is lower (53%) for claimants found capable for work, and higher for claimants found to have limited capability for work (90%)

47% are recorded with diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. This proportion is higher (58%) for claimants found capable of work.

In the quarter to May 2024, 17% of UC WCA decisions were repeat decisions and 83% were Initial UC WCA decisions.

For initial decisions in the quarter to May 2024, 66% were LCWRA and 17% LCW.

Of the repeat decisions, 76% were LCWRA and 24% were LCW.

ESA statistics

For ESA initial decisions, in the quarter to March 2024:

  • 66% of outcomes were for the Support Group, down from 68% in quarter ending December 2023
  • 14% of outcomes were for the Work Related Activity Group, similar to last quarter ending December 2023
  • 20% of outcomes were found Fit for Work, up from 18% in quarter ending December 2023

For repeat WCA decisions:

  • 81% of outcomes were for the Support Group, down from 88% in quarter ending December 2023
  • 16% of outcomes were for the Work Related Activity Group, up from 9% in quarter ending December 2023
  • 3% of outcomes were found Fit for Work, similar to last quarter ending December 2023

in the latest quarter to March 2024, there were 38,000 completed ESA WCAs with a DWP decision, a 4% increase from the previous quarter to December 2023

Of the total number of ESA WCAs completed in the quarter to March 2024, 58% were initial WCAs (22,000) and 42% were repeats (16,000)

You can read the full UC WCA statistics here.

You can read the full ESA WCA statistics here.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Clive m stone · 17 days ago
    DWP INTERNAL LETTER " SEPT" STATES, THE DEPT IS DELAYING OR CANCELLING THE ROLLOUT, WHERE THERE IS NO SUPPORT IN PLACE FOR ESA CLAIMENTS TO MAKE THE MOVE!! AND THATS OFFICIAL 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA · 18 days ago
    Thanks Anon - here is the link to the financial times article 

    https://www.ft.com/content/d42180d4-bbbf-4552-8442-8932710c7b9b

    I wouldn't look at the comments though as they are generally quite unkind.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    steve · 19 days ago
    does anyone know if you are in the support group is seeing a work coach a requirement ( ir ESA ) thanks
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      James h · 17 days ago
      @Jon @Jon They keep going on about their going to be painful benefit cuts in October 30th budget so what more could they cut?only thing I can think of is either the pip or doing something with lcwra surely it will be for new claims though?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 18 days ago
      @MrFibro Aren't you a few months away from getting the state pension? The change from ESA to UC isn't really going to affect you 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Jon · 18 days ago
      @MrFibro True we will just have to play it by ear 👂 mind you they have got to see 2.8 million disabled then 1.4 million job seekers so it could take along time to get round to us
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon · 18 days ago
      @steve At the moment, no. However, the new white paper is due next month with a focus on getting as many people back to work as possible. There is going to be less emphasis on work coaches 'policing' claimants and more helping them to overcome barriers to work. 
      The white paper is focusing on the original intention of the welfare state as a safety net only. 
      The intention is to attempt to coordinate jobcentres and NHS to help people overcome health issues that may be holding them back. 
      How, or if, it will work remains to be seen. But the outline of what is in the white paper is in today's (18th September) Financial times.

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 18 days ago
      @Jon What a joke some dopey pen pusher acting as if he/ she knows better, and or have the specialist experience of lets say for instance an orthopedic surgeon, or a multitude of other consultants, GP's etc.





  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    K · 19 days ago
    The 69% quoted does raise questions about having mental disorders as it is common for people who have physical issues to also have mental issues due to having physical health issues. This is nothing new but it does raise questions if they are being differentiated. In the case of persons who have heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, lung issues, and also many others these have a direct effect on their mental makeup so it would be useful to know out of the 69% how many actually have physical issues which have contributed to their mental ill health as well such as severe depression, anxiety and such like
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      HRH · 17 days ago
      @Chris i totally agree with you & isn’t it sad that the press is allowed to get away with this smoke screen, to hide the real problems 🥺
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      K · 18 days ago
      @Chris That is because they are self hating right wingnuts !
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Chris · 18 days ago
      @HRH The right wing press loves demonising those with mental illness. Saying people who  are now mentally ill  would  a few years back  just be seen as sad or dealing with day to day stresses. Of course they don’t take into account the crumbling state of the NHS the appalling state of many rented homes and any number of other problems the U.K. now faces as services crumble and infrastructure becomes worse by the day. Sadly the new government seems even more determined than the Tories to run with this demonising and remove benefits from as many as it can.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      HRH · 19 days ago
      @K 👏👏👏 also, i am unclear why it would matter to the DWP if the disability is due to a physical or a mental illness. what matters is the negative impact on a persons day to day activities.  Any attempt by any person&/or organisation smacks of discrimination and attempts to discrdit and demonise ‘certain’ disabled people
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MrFibro · 19 days ago
      @K I agree.

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