Skip to main content

The government has said in a written response-

'Over the last year we have introduced new guidance into Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit (UC), as well as updated guidance for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to improve the service we provide for those with the most severe/lifelong conditions.  For ESA/UC since September 2017 we have switched off routine reassessments for those who meet the Severe Conditions criteria, and since August 2018, those receiving the highest level of support in PIP, whose needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the
ten year point.'

Here is the updated Work Capability Assessment Handbook.

For the routine ESA medical reassessments to be switched off, the Severe Conditions criteria are at appendix 8-

● 'one of the functional Support group criteria must be met and also the
following-
● the level of function would always meet LCWRA(support group)
● Lifelong condition, once diagnosed
● No realistic prospect of recovery of function
● Unambiguous condition'

Examples- might qualify 'Motor Neurone Disease (MND), severe and progressive forms of MS, Parkinson’s, All dementias, All chromosomal conditions, Huntington’s, severe irreversible cardiorespiratory failure, severe acquired brain injury ...this list is not exhaustive'

Might not qualify 'Conditions which might be severe at times but recovery of function might be present for substantial periods, such as recently diagnosed relapsing non-progressive forms of MS or some people with less severe mental health conditions with periods of reasonable function'

Book now for our Benefits and Mental Health 2019 course.

View All