News

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has outlined three phases in its plan to mandate income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants in the Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG) to the Work Programme.

In the first phase, running from 10 September 2012, the DWP began to force ESA claimants onto the Work Programme if it considered the claimant should have another work capability assessment (WCA) within 3 to 6 months, and if they had previously been supported by Pathways to Work. The second phase is intended to run from mid-November 2012. The DWP will attempt to mandate all claimants to the Work Programme if it thinks they should have another WCA within 12 months. A third phase will be introduced from December 2012 with the intention of piloting how ESA claimants the DWP thinks should be reassessed under the WCA within 18 to 24 months can be assisted by the Work Programme.

According to the DWP the changes are “​what claimants with longer-term health conditions need, to help prepare them for a return to work.”​

Further information can be found here
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