DWP shares more details on new Universal Credit plans for claimants with health issues
23.03.2023 - 20:29
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
The UK Government recently published the Health and Disability White Paper, which lays out proposed reforms to the benefits system. As part of its shake-up, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced plans to end the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to encourage people who need to claim benefits back into work.
It’s important to keep in mind that these planned changes in the White Paper are proposals and will be debated in Parliament before coming into force in 2026/27. WCAs currently provide decisions on whether a person is fit for work for the purpose of their Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit allowance.
Under the new proposals, instead of undergoing a WCA, the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment would be used to decide whether a person will receive the new Universal Credit health element. Minister for Disabled People Tom Pursglove MP, shared more details about the proposed new package of measures.
In a written response to Labour’s shadow work and pensions secretary, Jonathan Ashworth MP, who asked if further details would be published, Mr Pursglove said: “As a result of the Government’s review of workforce participation, the Department is introducing a package of measures to address economic inactivity and the barriers preventing people from joining the workforce.
“Universal Support is a supported employment programme which will support inactive disabled people, people with health conditions and people with additional barriers to employment, into sustained work.
“Eligible people will be able to opt in to receive up to 12 months of ‘place and train’ support - helping them initially to move quickly into suitable work, followed with wraparound support to help them to sustain
The website celebfans.org is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can
send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.