Work and Pensions

Stephen Timms Excerpts

Wednesday 11th March 2026 Written Corrections

The following extract is from the Westminster Hall debate on Work Capability Assessment Timescales on 4 March 2026.

[Sir Stephen Timms]

…Looking back, that worked rather better than people might have anticipated, but it meant that in 2021, only 5% of work capability assessments were carried out face to face. After the pandemic, there was a very slow return to face to face: in 2024, only 13% of work capability assessments were face to face.

[Official Report, 4 March 2026; Vol. 781, c. 397WH.]

Written correction submitted by the Minister for Social Security and Disability, the right hon. Member for East Ham (Sir Stephen Timms):

[Sir Stephen Timms]

…Looking back, that worked rather better than people might have anticipated, but it meant that in 2021, only 5% of work capability assessments were carried out face to face. After the pandemic, there was a very slow return to face to face: in 2024, only 12% of work capability assessments were face to face.