Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce processing times for employment and support allowance.
We are committed to completing Employment and Support Allowance Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) as quickly as possible and are working closely with our supplier to deliver the best possible service for claimants.
We will be bringing in a new national provider to deliver health and disability assessments including WCAs. The new contract will be awarded later this year, with a view to the new provider taking responsibility for delivery of WCAs by early 2015.
We have in addition taken measures to reduce the time taken between an ESA claim being made and referred to our supplier for a WCA, and the time between our receiving the case back and making a decision on the claim.