What kind of ESA assessment will you have?
All claimants for employment and support allowance (ESA) will have an assessment of some sort.
It may be a:
- Paper-based assessment
- Telephone assessment
- Face-to-face assessment
- Video assessment
It is likely that if HAAS thinks they have enough information, they will opt for a paper-based assessment whenever they can.
However, most claimants are still likely to have a telephone, face-to-face or video assessment.
Who carries out the assessment?
The Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) took over providing WCA assessments on 7 September 2024.
HAAS is part of the DWP. It 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 (
- 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 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 area, including both PIP assessments and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) for universal credit and employment and support allowance.
The assessments remain entirely separate, however, there is no joint assessment that combines both PIP and the WCA at a single meeting.
Our guide to the WCA
Our 134 page guide to claiming ESA on physical and mental health grounds takes you through the entire assessment system and makes sure you are fully prepared, whatever type of assessment you have. Issues covered include:
- Paper-based assessments
- Audio recording your assessment
- Getting an appointment for a telephone assessment
- Having someone with you at a telephone assessment
- Things you will need at your telephone assessment
- Problems to be ready for at your telephone assessment
- Face-to-face assessment– will you have to have one?
- Preparing for a face-to-face assessment
- Caution! Travelling to an assessment
- Having someone with you
- If you have not completed a recent ESA50 or UC50 questionnaire
- Questions you are likely to be asked at your assessment
