UK: Disability benefits (UC, ESA and PIP) - news and updates 2024 and 2025

Yes, it's what they seem to do.

It is not a wca, it's largely a paperwork check with possibly a few questions thrown in, of the sort what was your last address etc.

 

Yes, I had this, I had to go in. Then they called me on the phone twice a month until the wca was done. After that, no contact st all.

 

Ok thanks. Hopefully after that, I’ll just get universal credit approved without a Work capability assessment. I’m already on ESA support group, and have been for many years now.. can anyone else attest to this? Do they still do WCAs even if you’re already in support group?

 

Yes, it's not something to worry about. My cousin says there was a lot of UC fraud when Covid hit, and there are still some issues it.

It wasn't so much about claims from people who aren't entitled, it was claims from people who don't exist. Organised criminals targeted a hopelessly vulnerable system, and the new ID checks were brought in as a result.

 

I was really upset and worried about my WCA thinking it would be like applying for PIP. I had a form to fill out then waited a few weeks. Had a phone interview where they noted my symptoms and that was all, then another wait.

Edited to add, I got universal credit BEFORE the WCA

 

Oh goodness, I tried not to look at the suggested reforms, but i did look.

Am very scared & its unclear. I cant understand whats going to happen to me, I been on CB ESA for 12yrs no IR component. Due for reassessment Spring of 2026. Whats going to happen to me?

And @Simbindi I cant read the bits you highlighted i an just too ill, but I am petrified what will happen to me. You said they going to get rid of CB ESA - is that for new claimants then or for existing people too? I am beside myself with fear.

I have PIP 10 yr with light touch review due 2032

 

They've only mentioned phasing it out for new claimants. I haven't seen any mention of existing claimants.

It's unlikely they've given it much thought. The document's a green paper, and there's still research to do and arguments to have before it makes any progress towards law.

What does eventually happen might depend partly on how many c-ESA claimants there are. If it's a relatively small group and mostly contains older people, one possible solution is to allow them to age out.

Another thing is that c-ESA is quite cheap. The government's unlikely to want to create a cohort of people who'd be entitled to twice as much money if they were forced to deplete their resources enough to claim income-related benefits!

 

I think Kitty is probably right on existing CB ESA claimants, it's all about them saving money. They don't seem to even have thought through how their proposed PIP changes will affect pensioners or pension credit.

It's like the WCA reviewing they are planning 'restarting' - they are aiming it at the claimants that are most likely to fail it.

I've never been sent a ESA50 review since being put in the support group in 2013 (so nothing to do with the pandemic). I was put in the WRA group on my first assessment in 2011 (although I scored a total of 30 points, I didn't get a straight 15 point in any one activity). Then 2 years later I was sent the ESA 50 but also applied for PIP. It took 6 months to get my PIP award after submitting the application and having the centre based face to face assessment (with a Rethink support worker present) but was awarded enhanced care and mobility. Then I got a letter a few weeks later stating they had moved me to the LCWRA (support) group. I didn't have any face to face ESA assessment, so assumed they'd based the decision on my PIP points. I had got a 2 year PIP award only, but on reassessment (this time home based with a support worker and an advocate present) my points increased further and I got the 10 year light touch review (due 'not before' March 2026) and have never been sent a ESA 50 review since that award. So I've assumed the DWP have been doing their internal 'light touch' assessments for my WCA based on this PIP award.

 

I'm sure this is right, @JemPD. They never assessed me for ESA at all; at the time, one of the tests for the support group was the same as for the DLA mobility component, and I'd already been on that for 11 years when I claimed. It'd have been a waste of time and money assessing me for both.

It wouldn't surprise me if your "review" consists of a letter saying they've looked at your claim again and awarded you c-ESA. The fact you've already satisfied their requirements to receive PIP on a light-touch review basis means there are far easier targets for them to go at.

 

Thank you @Simbindi & @Kitty that has enebled me to come down off the ceiling somewhat!

 

Social care told me by phone that if I could shower and wipe my bum I wasn't their problem, so I have had to pay for a carer out of my PIP as I need a healthy adult for a bunch of stuff I just can't do.

 

That doesn’t sound correct. Did they mention that during your initial inquiry or during your Care Assessment? Many people shower and wipe themselves while still requiring a caregiver. When it comes to public services, most are implementing cost-cutting measures to reduce the number of claimants, etc. It might be a good idea to contact a community care advice line to understand your position, especially since you are already paying for care.

 

They have a legal duty to offer you a formal assessment of needs. But councils do informally try to avoid this duty by adding lots of barriers during initial contact.

https://www.scie.org.uk/assessment-and-eligibility/assessment-of-needs-under-the-care-act-2014/

https://www.scie.org.uk/assessment-and-eligibility/determination-eligibility/

 

It's a bit off topic, as this is about social care, but it seems there is now a channel to complain about councils not providing correct social care assessments (I haven't looked into this for ages, it wasn't the case a few years ago):

https://www.lgo.org.uk/make-a-compl...dults/councils-that-conduct-needs-assessments

However, most councils basically take all of the care element of PIP into account when doing their financial assessment for the amount the individual is required to contribute towards their council funded care. So depending on your level of needs it might not be worth trying to get funded care unless the hours needed are more than you can afford out of your PIP and any top ups included in UC or ESA.

 

They told me the same thing. However they apparently have a legal duty to carry out the assessment. You would need to push for it, it seems their first line of defence is to put you off.

edit I see others have said this!

 

Thanks all..I didn't even get a care assessment; I called them (twice) and got told not their problem and fobbed off onto a social prescriber, who randomly called me with no prior arrangement every month for six months and then told me that my referral had expired.

The enablement team then came out and did an assessment. They left me with a smart speaker and a healthy human for six weeks who got frustrated that I could only have her in for an hour at a time

Apparently I am the problem, it's me, for not fitting into a neat box with straightforward needs as I have multiple conditions.

 

This is such a widespread issue. We don't get to deal with our conditions one at a time as needed... why does everyone we deal with think this is a reasonable way to deal with us?

 

I'm not sure they all do, though of course plenty will.

There's that US expression—moral injury—where employees are put in a position where they're completely failing people in need, they have no power to change it, and it affects them very deeply.

Folk who're still working in local authorities and the health service are saying it's become a big issue in Britain the last few years. One friend had to resign because it had damaged her mental health so much, and it doesn't look as if she'll be able to return to work for the last few years before retirement.

 

Benefits & Work have set up a form for people who have no 4-point scores for PIP daily living to report what the impact on them would be:

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/personal-independence-payment-pip/no-4-point-pip-descriptors