Department for Work and Pensions

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

Estimates of the impact of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reforms are made for England and Wales only and not at region or any lower-level geographic area. The department does not forecast benefit receipt at a regional level or below, nor have estimates of the behavioural impacts of the policy been produced at these levels.

I attended on 10 June a roundtable discussion with the MS Society on “Supporting people with MS to thrive in and out of work.” We are committed to working with people with MS on the design of our programme of employment support, which will receive an additional £1 billion per year of funding by the end of this Parliament

The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who did not score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment as conditions change over time.

There will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. The OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those on PIP daily living at the point any changes come in will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met.

We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.

Data is not available for sickness absence specifically due to stress.

The estimated number of people aged 16 to 64 in the UK who had a long-term (4 weeks or more) sickness absence from work due to stress, depression, anxiety and common mental health problems, between January and December 2024 (the latest data available) was 325,000. This represents around 22% of people who had a long-term sickness absence.

Source: Annual Population Survey (APS) - unpublished

As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain which will include a modern, joined up and enhanced digital offer where people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs. This reconfigured service will be accessible to everyone; it will use data intelligently to join up government and personalise support.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and officials have been in regular engagement with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and with local areas as we develop our plans for a new Jobs and Careers Service. This builds on the vision as laid out in ‘A blueprint for modern digital government’ published in January. The new service will be digital where possible, and human when needed. A large number of those seeking employment support or careers advice will be best served digitally, however we recognise this will not be appropriate for everyone and other channels of support will be available.

The department also continues to work closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and other government departments to deliver on the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. Its first steps were published on 29 February 2025 and outline the government’s initial actions and long-term goals to tackle digital exclusion in the UK.

As we set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are exploring the use of digital employment support for customers and testing how to enhance collaboration between Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service. This will be key to understanding how we can better integrate employment support and careers advice in England.

As part of our plans to develop the new Jobs and Careers Service, Ministers and officials are working in collaboration with West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority to design and deliver tests within our first Pathfinder that will inform the design of the new service.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out a broad package of reforms to health and disability benefits and employment support.

We have committed to putting on the face of the Bill strong protections for the most vulnerable. We will protect the income of all people subject to the Special Rules for End of Life (those with less than 12 months to live) and people who meet the severe conditions criteria (SCC) by providing them with the higher rate of LCWRA (Limited capability for work and work-related activity) in line with existing customers. Additionally, people with severe conditions - a health condition or disability which is lifelong, often progressive and incurable - and who are at the end of life will not be reassessed.

We are basing our protections on these criteria, rather than on specific conditions, because the functional impact and severity of a condition can significantly vary across individuals. The support a person might need and their ability to work can vary for different people with the same condition.

Our reforms will ensure the most vulnerable and severely disabled people are protected, while supporting those who can work to do so. As such, those who have a higher level of functional need in at least one activity - who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them – will still receive PIP.

DWP currently offers employment support for eligible customers of all ages, through the network of Jobcentres across the UK, and through contracted employment programmes. A dedicated offer for older jobseekers provides more tailored support for those affected by additional challenges such as out of date skills or qualifications or those who need help with CVs.

Work Coaches and employers are supported by 50 plus Champions who provide a critical layer of support through Jobcentres, to ensure the needs of older jobseekers are met. Recent examples of personalised activity include 50 plus Job Fairs, Mentoring Circles, peer to peer support, digital awareness sessions and confidence building, including assisting customers with their perceived digital capabilities, from basic IT skills to more complex tasks.

Employer and Partnership Teams in Jobcentres also work with a range of employers and partners to enhance the skills and employment support available locally for customers.

The Government is reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in their careers. This includes an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice.

This information is not currently available.

The Fair Repayment Rate was implemented on the 30 April 2025 for Universal Credit claims with assessment periods starting on or after this date. However, the transition to the new policy will not be complete for all Universal Credit households until the end of June 2025. We estimate that once the transition to the Fair Repayment Rate is complete, it will benefit 1.2 million Universal Credit households by putting an average of £420 back into their pockets per year.

The Department regularly publishes data on Universal Credit deductions. The release scheduled for November 2025 will present deductions data up to August 2025, this is the first release that will show the effects of the Fair Repayment Rate.

The latest release of the deductions statistics can be found here:

Universal Credit deductions statistics December 2023 to November 2024 - GOV.UK

Information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants by different geographic breakdowns can be found on Stat Xplore. You can use the ‘PIP Cases with Entitlement from 2019’ dataset and the ‘Geography’ filter to narrow down to the breakdowns you require.

For further guidance on how to use Stat Xplore, please see the User Guide here.

The Department collects detailed data on deductions from Universal Credit households and will be monitoring the effect of the Fair Repayment Rate over the coming months.

We regularly publish official statistics on deductions at the parliamentary constituency level - including the number of Universal Credit households with deductions and average amount deducted. The release scheduled for November 2025 will present deductions data up to August 2025, this is the first release that will show the effects of the Fair Repayment Rate.

The latest release of the deductions statistics can be found here:

Universal Credit deductions statistics December 2023 to November 2024 - GOV.UK

The department does not hold data on illegal migrants attempting to access welfare services.

People who are in the UK illegally (that is to say people without a valid UK immigration status) are not permitted access to DWP public funds benefits.

Table 1 shows the number of applicants who were refused a Funeral Expenses Payment for the below reasons:

• There is a surviving partner
• There is a closer relative
• They are not a partner, friend or relative

Table 1: Funeral Expense Payments- Refusals linked to the Family Test

Notes:

- These figures have been estimated using unaudited internal DWP Management Information which is not quality assured to the same extent as Official / National statistics.

- These applicants are assumed to have been responsible for funeral costs and to have been in receipt of a qualifying benefit.

- Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is a single benefit with two strands, contribution-based ESA, ESA C (which was rebadged New Style ESA (NS ESA)), and income-related ESA (ESA IR).

Legacy ESA is made up of a contributory (ESA C) and income-related strand (ESA IR).

​New claims to legacy ESA (i.e. ESA C and ESA IR) are no longer available. Only new claims to NS ESA can be made.

The Secretary of State has an annual Statutory duty to conduct a review of benefits and State pension rates to determine whether they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices and/or earnings. The review will take place in the Autumn as is the convention.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper included proposals for the future rates of Employment and Support Allowance.

We know disabled people face extra costs every day and this has been exacerbated by the increased cost of living. The Disability Unit has worked to understand and assess the full impact of the cost of living on disabled people, across a range of sectors, including energy.

In order to understand more about the areas of extra costs faced by disabled people, DWP is undertaking a new survey of Personal Independence Payment customers.

The number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared in each month, starting November 2023, is shown below in Table 1 below. This is based upon weekly data, starting week commencing 30^th October 2023 (see ‘Notes to Table 1’ for more information).

For all other questions, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared, by month, November 2023 to April 2025.

Source: DWP Management Information

Notes to Table 1:

• data is not seasonally adjusted
• numbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100
• the monthly data shown is based on the summing of weekly management information data. Where a week falls across two calendar months, the week is attributed to the month in which the most number of working days falls. As a result, the number of weeks contributing to each month’s total volume cleared may vary across months.

The number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared in each month, starting November 2023, is shown below in Table 1 below. This is based upon weekly data, starting week commencing 30^th October 2023 (see ‘Notes to Table 1’ for more information).

For all other questions, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared, by month, November 2023 to April 2025.

Source: DWP Management Information

Notes to Table 1:

• data is not seasonally adjusted
• numbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100
• the monthly data shown is based on the summing of weekly management information data. Where a week falls across two calendar months, the week is attributed to the month in which the most number of working days falls. As a result, the number of weeks contributing to each month’s total volume cleared may vary across months.

The number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared in each month, starting November 2023, is shown below in Table 1 below. This is based upon weekly data, starting week commencing 30^th October 2023 (see ‘Notes to Table 1’ for more information).

For all other questions, the information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Table 1: Number of Carer’s Allowance new claim applications cleared, by month, November 2023 to April 2025.

Source: DWP Management Information

Notes to Table 1:

• data is not seasonally adjusted
• numbers in thousands have been rounded to the nearest 100
• the monthly data shown is based on the summing of weekly management information data. Where a week falls across two calendar months, the week is attributed to the month in which the most number of working days falls. As a result, the number of weeks contributing to each month’s total volume cleared may vary across months.

As more customers apply to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) the demand for our service is increasing. To allow us to meet this demand and provide an efficient service we continuously look at the resources we have and where we should focus our efforts to get the greatest value for money and deliver the best service to our customers.

We review our overall resource supply regularly and take appropriate steps to ensure that staffing levels meet current demands. We have an ongoing recruitment campaign for 2025 which will ensure CMS is resourced to meet current and future forecasted demand.

Through extensive modernisation to both telephony and digital channels, and by promoting self-service online, the CMS are ensuring customers have greater choice of how and when they contact us. Our service improvements allow customers to use the most appropriate and efficient contact method to quickly resolve their queries and reduce demand on our services.

Improvements to our digital service allow us to process simple actions automatically, speeding up the time taken to make a change. Through efficient call routing, we have freed up resources to deliver a more responsive service and allow caseworkers more time to better assist customers who need to reach out to us via telephone. We have improved all forms of communication, including greater use of SMS and email as well as improving letter content. Furthermore, we have taken timely action to further train, support and redeploy resource within CMS to where it is needed most.

The CMS continually reviews the service it provides by regularly gathering feedback from customers. The Customer Experience Survey is a way in which the Department interacts with customers to understand their experience. Through regular insight used to inform ways to improve our service and the ongoing review of resources, the CMS strives to ensure we have the capability to deliver the best service which is accessible to all parents within our growing caseload.

As more customers apply to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) the demand for our service is increasing. To allow us to meet this demand and provide an efficient service we continuously look at the resources we have and where we should focus our efforts to get the greatest value for money and deliver the best service to our customers.

We review our overall resource supply regularly and take appropriate steps to ensure that staffing levels meet current demands. We have an ongoing recruitment campaign for 2025 which will ensure CMS is resourced to meet current and future forecasted demand.

Through extensive modernisation to both telephony and digital channels, and by promoting self-service online, the CMS are ensuring customers have greater choice of how and when they contact us. Our service improvements allow customers to use the most appropriate and efficient contact method to quickly resolve their queries and reduce demand on our services.

Improvements to our digital service allow us to process simple actions automatically, speeding up the time taken to make a change. Through efficient call routing, we have freed up resources to deliver a more responsive service and allow caseworkers more time to better assist customers who need to reach out to us via telephone. We have improved all forms of communication, including greater use of SMS and email as well as improving letter content. Furthermore, we have taken timely action to further train, support and redeploy resource within CMS to where it is needed most.

The CMS continually reviews the service it provides by regularly gathering feedback from customers. The Customer Experience Survey is a way in which the Department interacts with customers to understand their experience. Through regular insight used to inform ways to improve our service and the ongoing review of resources, the CMS strives to ensure we have the capability to deliver the best service which is accessible to all parents within our growing caseload.

Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

Easements from RSRS deductions allow for the provision of an additional bedroom to support the needs of disabled people and families of disabled children such as where members of the household are unable to share a bedroom or where overnight care is required from a non-resident carer where they meet the qualifying criteria.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

The information requested on how many people with a disabled person in their household pay a spare room subsidy payment is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

All DWP policies are kept under review and all decisions are taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing, and the challenging fiscal context. Data on number of people subject to RSRS is published and available at: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not collect data on the numbers of people directly or indirectly exposed to welding fume.

Official statistics for the number of people on Universal Credit are published each month on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. The latest statistics are available to March 2025.

Official statistics for the number of households on Universal Credit are published every three months on Stat-Xplore, with breakdowns available by various geographies including Westminster Parliamentary Constituency. In addition breakdowns are available by the number of children and the different UC elements, including the Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity payment. The latest statistics are available to November 2024.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access general guidance on how to extract the information required. For guidance on the Universal Credit datasets on Stat-Xplore, see the Universal Credit Official Statistics Stat-Xplore User Guide.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are reviewed annually, usually at an Autumn fiscal event. Rates are set based on the area of the country a person lives and their bedroom entitlement.

The decision to maintain LHA rates at current levels for 2025/26 was taken after a range of factors were considered, including rental data, the impacts of LHA rates, rate increases in April 2024 and the wider fiscal context. The April 2024 one-year LHA increase cost an additional £1.2bn in 2024/25, and approximately £7bn over 5 years.

Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the challenging fiscal context.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities to those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for collection of data of workplace injury and illness. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) provides the national reporting framework for responsible persons (usually employers, the self-employed and people in control of work premises) to report certain cases of injury, diseases and specified dangerous occurrences to the relevant Enforcing Authority (HSE or Local Authority). Regulation 9 of RIDDOR requires the responsible person to report a diagnosis of any cancer attributed to an occupational exposure to a known human carcinogen in their current job.

When reporting, the responsible person must provide details on the affected person's occupation or job title and a description of the work that led to the disease. This would capture whether the person is a welder and/or carries out welding as part of their job. There is also the option to report the specific type of cancer being diagnosed.

HSE also collects data on occupational cancers through the Health and Occupational Reporting (THOR) network. This includes:

• Lung cancer and mesothelioma data from chest physicians (THOR-SWORD) and
• Skin cancer data from dermatologists (THOR-EPIDERM)

Where available, occupational information such as job title may be recorded, potentially identifying welders.

However, welders may also be exposed to other carcinogens, such as asbestos, during their work so it is difficult to directly link a diagnosis of cancer specifically to exposure to welding fumes.

In March 2025, the Department published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, which is consulting on the future of Access to Work. We are also considering the role of employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces as well as how we can shape the market for aids, appliances and assistive technology, to reduce their cost and spread their adoption.

We will review all aspects of the Scheme following the conclusion of the consultation on the 30^th June and encourage people to have their views and voices heard on how they think the programme and the welfare system could be improved.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the enforcing authority for workplace health and safety. HSE has no powers to compel businesses to continue to operate following serious workplace safety incidents.

The Government has not proposed to introduce two year assessments for any specific group.

Currently, Work Capability Assessment re-assessments are prioritised for customers on Employment and Support Allowance and the health element of Universal Credit who report a change in their health condition. Routine department-led reassessments are scheduled according to expected prognosis length for recovery and subject to available assessment capacity.

Individuals who have Limited Capability for Work- and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA), with the most severe and lifelong health conditions or disabilities, whose level of function means that they will always have LCWRA and are unlikely ever to be able to move into work, are not routinely reassessed.

Our wide-ranging package of reforms to health and disability benefits, set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, will improve experiences of the system for those who need it. The functional impact and severity of a condition can significantly vary across individuals, which is why we will continue to ensure that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will not need to be reassessed.

The Government has not proposed to introduce two year assessments for any specific group.

Currently, Work Capability Assessment re-assessments are prioritised for customers on Employment and Support Allowance and the health element of Universal Credit who report a change in their health condition. Routine department-led reassessments are scheduled according to expected prognosis length for recovery and subject to available assessment capacity.

Individuals who have Limited Capability for Work- and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA), with the most severe and lifelong health conditions or disabilities, whose level of function means that they will always have LCWRA and are unlikely ever to be able to move into work, are not routinely reassessed.

Our wide-ranging package of reforms to health and disability benefits, set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, will improve experiences of the system for those who need it. The functional impact and severity of a condition can significantly vary across individuals, which is why we will continue to ensure that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will not need to be reassessed.

This Government is committed to championing the rights of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions and our mission-driven approach relies on regular cross-government collaboration. We are working across government to take forward the proposals in the Green Paper and will continue to do so as the package is developed in detail. I will continue to engage closely with my Ministerial colleagues and other stakeholders throughout the consultation period and beyond.

We have published information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper here [Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper - GOV.UK]. This includes an equality analysis, which examines a range of protected characteristics. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

Under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 the Secretary of State is required by law to review State Pension and benefit rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. We have uprated benefit rates for 2025/26 in line with inflation, with 5.7 million Universal Credit households forecast to gain by an average of £150 annually.

In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we recently announced that we will improve the adequacy of the standard allowance with the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. This increase will be for new and existing customers and will benefit millions of people.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) which specifies RPE types, filters and standards to be used at work, Respiratory protective equipment at work: A practical guide HSG53

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) require that businesses risk assess exposure to hazardous substances like welding fume and ensure that appropriate RPE is selected, where required.

Industry sectors and businesses may have different RPE requirements, depending on the type of welding and the work environment.

To assist them in their selection the COSHH Essentials Welding Sheet WL3 gives welders guidance on the appropriate types of mask and grade of filters, suitable for welding, Welding fume control (hse.gov.uk).

HSE conducts regular inspection campaigns targeting the industries where welding is prevalent. Part of the inspection is to check that welders have the appropriate RPE where required.

HSE works with industry stakeholders to promote the guidance and improve safety in welding.

The Department has made no assessment on ending conditionality through sanctioning.

It is right that there should be conditions and consequences to labour market support. We will continue to ensure that claimants who need support receive it and consider how to best tailor this support to their individual needs.

The Department has made no assessment on ending conditionality through sanctioning.

It is right that there should be conditions and consequences to labour market support. We will continue to ensure that claimants who need support receive it and consider how to best tailor this support to their individual needs.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not collect data on the numbers of people directly or indirectly exposed to welding fume.

As part of our reforms announced in the Get Britain Working, we set out our plans to reform Jobcentre Plus and create a new service across Great Britain. We secured £55m at the Autumn Budget to take forward the first steps of building, testing and trialling the new service in 2025/26, including the development of a modern digital offer where people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs.

The new service must work for everyone, and we are committed to working with all users, including older individuals, on the new service, and organisations representing their needs, throughout the design process.

The Government acknowledges the key role employers play in helping older individuals to remain in or re-enter the workforce, and the importance of embracing policies conductive to this support. The 2010 Equality Act provides strong protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment, rendering it unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees or job applicants based on age.

We know that work helps everyone, including older people, play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement. That is why we are reforming employment support to ensure it helps everyone who needs it. This includes creating a Jobs and Careers service that will enable everyone, regardless of age, to access support to find good, meaningful work, and help them progress in work or increase their earnings.

We have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent “Keep Britain Working” review as a part of the plan to Get Britain Working again. In recognition of employer's vital role, his review is considering recommendations to support and enable employers to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces, support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence, and recruit and retain more disabled people and people with health conditions. This includes the perspectives of older people themselves, as well as engaging with the Centre for Ageing Better.

My Department also continues to engage with employers to ensure their recruitment practises attract and support the retention of older people. This includes making businesses aware of good practice and encouraging employers to sign the Age-Friendly employer pledge.

DWP are committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and strive to set affordable, and sustainable repayment plans and encourage customers to make contact if they are unable to afford the proposed repayment rate.

The department does not hold this aggregate data at constituency level.

We strive to set affordable, and sustainable repayment plans and encourage customers to make contact if they are unable to afford the proposed repayment rate.

A key outcome in our Get Britain Working outcome metrics framework is our ambition to raise the country’s employment rate to 80%. To achieve this ambition, we will need to improve employment across a range of groups of the population, including people aged 50 and over.

The outcomes framework intermediate outcome metrics monitor progress of the effect of policies announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper that provide extra support for specific groups of people - for example young people; people with health conditions and disabled people.

Our Pathways to Work Green Paper set out why we are scrapping the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). We want to end the binary categorisation of groups and labelling as either ‘can or can’t work’. Instead, any extra financial support for health conditions in UC will be assessed via a single assessment – the PIP assessment – and be based on whether someone is receiving any Daily Living award in PIP, not on capacity to work. This will de-couple access to the health element in from work status, so people can be confident that the act of taking steps towards and into employment will not put their benefit entitlement at risk.

We are considering how any change of this kind could affect individuals who currently meet limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) criteria due to non-functional special circumstances; for example, those affected by cancer treatment, people with short term conditions that get better, women with a high-risk pregnancy and those currently classed as having substantial risk. Individuals in these categories may not be eligible for PIP, and therefore the UC health element, in the reformed system.

In the reformed system these groups will still be eligible for UC and for the proposed new higher rate Unemployment Insurance if they meet relevant eligibility criteria. Individuals who are nearing the end of their life with 12 months or less to live will continue to be able to access PIP through the existing fast track route (Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) to ensure we protect those who are nearing the end of their life, irrespective of the duration of their illness.

Further details on these changes will be set out in a White Paper in the Autumn.

The median mandatory reconsideration (MR) clearance times have been provided for Universal Credit (UC), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and Employment Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) benefit decisions. To provide information across all other DWP administered benefits would incur disproportionate cost.

Median clearance times have been provided as the mean can be unduly affected by outlying cases.

Universal Credit

The median clearance time for UC MRs cleared in the 2024/25 financial year was 33 calendar days.

Notes:

1. Each UC claim can have more than one reconsideration registered against it. The above includes all MR decisions (excluding withdrawn and cancelled).
2. The UC MR clearance times are based on the clearance times from the date the MR was registered to the date the MR was cleared.
3. This data on UC MR clearance times is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.

1. Definition of median: The median time is the middle value if you were to order all the times within the distribution from lowest value to highest value.

Personal Independence Payment

PIP MR clearance times are published at Personal Independence Payment statistics - GOV.UK. They can be found by accessing the latest release and opening the excel tables. Tables 4A – 4Biii contain information on PIP MR clearance times.

Employment Support Allowance

ESA WCA MR clearance times are available on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. They can be found by going through “ESA Work Capability Assessments”, “Mandatory Reconsideration – Clearances” “Table 4 – Median Clearance Times by Date of Decision”.

The Department estimates in total there are around 210,000 people with State Pension underpayments due to missing Home Responsibilities Protection on their National Insurance record DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 (HTML) - GOV.UK.

Geographical breakdowns are not available.

Means tested benefits do not provide a specific disregard for a Criminal Injuries Compensation payment. However, it is very likely, due to the nature of these payments, that they will be regarded as a payment for personal injury and disregarded for 12 months from when the payment is received, or indefinitely if the payment is held in trust.

For Pension Credit, the treatment is similar with the main difference being that there is no requirement for it to be held in a trust.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is an individual-based benefit and therefore DWP does not hold household-level information on its administrative systems. However, some limited household-level information is available on the DWP’s Family Resources Survey.

Data on PIP by household can be found on Stat Xplore. The requested data can be found in the “Household dataset” under “Family Resources Survey”. You can use the “Benefit receipt” filter to select “Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living received by the household” and “Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Mobility received by the household” and select “in receipt”.

Due to sample sizes, the Department does not hold household data at Parliamentary Constituency level, however you can use the “Geography” filter to select the Region, or whether the household lives in Inner or Outer London.

You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required.