Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which terminal conditions mean that repeat assessments for employment and support allowance are not required.

Rather than setting out a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria to identify those for whom reassessments are no longer required, is based on identifying claimants with the most severe health conditions and disabilities, where it would be unreasonable to expect the individual to undertake any form or amount of work or work related activity.

We already have support in place for ESA claimants who are diagnosed with a terminal illness, where as a consequence of that disease their life expectancy is reasonably believed to be six months or less. They will not need to have a face-to-face assessment, and will be treated as having limited capability for work-related activity and will be placed in the Support Group, where they are not required to take part in any work-related activity. We also have fast track rules which mean their claim must be processed as soon as possible, and they receive the higher rate of benefit immediately.