Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, on what date he plans to publish the list of long-term and life-limiting diseases that will be exempt from benefit re-assessments.

There is no condition based entitlement to Employment Support Allowance.

Rather than a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria will be based on identifying claimants with the most severe health conditions or disabilities where it would be unreasonable to expect the individual to undertake any form or amount of work or work-related activity.

This change will come into effect in autumn 2017 and will apply to those placed in Employment and Support Allowance’s Support Group and the Universal Credit equivalent.

We are currently working with stakeholders to develop the new criteria and, when finalised, the amended guidance will be incorporated into the Work Capability Assessment Handbook published annually on GOV.UK. This change will be reflected in the summer 2018 update.