News

The latest ESA quarterly statistics have now been published. However, the effects of the changes to the WCA made in March of this year are only just beginning to feed in, so future quarters may begin to look grimmer.

For all new claims between October 208 to February 2011, the figures are:

Entitled to ESA in the Support Group –​ 7%
Entitled to ESA in the Work Related Activity Group –​ 17%
Fit for Work –​ 38%
Claim closed before assessment complete –​ 36%
Assessment still in progress –​ 2%

However, these results do not take account of appeals against ESA decisions. So far, of all those people who had lodged an appeal up to August of last year, just 39% have had their appeal heard and of these 39% had their appeal upheld. If the results of appeals heard so far are taken into account, then the figures above change to:

Entitled to ESA in the Support Group –​ 7%
Entitled to ESA in the Work Related Activity Group –​ 22%
Fit for Work –​ 33%
Claim closed before assessment complete –​ 36%
Assessment still in progress –​ 2%

It would appear that appeals have made little difference to the proportion of people getting into the support group, but they have had a dramatic effect on the numbers getting into the work-related activity group. With 60% of appeals up to August 2010 still waiting tobe heard, the figures may look very different once all the results are in.

For all completed claims –​ so excluding people who got better before being assessed or who dropped out for other reasons or who are still waiting for a result –​ up to May of this year and excluding the effect of appeals, the figures are:

Entitled to ESA in the Support Group –​ 11%
Entitled to ESA in the Work Related Activity Group - 27%
Fit for Work - 62%

You can download a copy of the statistics from this link.