Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, by what date (a) new and (b) existing claims for employment and support allowance will end.

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims continue to be paid whilst a claimant continues to satisfy the conditions of entitlement. Once the Work Capability Assessment process has been completed claimants will be given a prognosis period which advises when their claim is likely to be reviewed. However, routine repeat reassessments are currently suspended for the time-being to concentrate resources on the processing of new claims.

Claims to ESA only end when an individual is found to be ineligible for the benefit or there has been a significant improvement in an individual’s functional capability.