Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how epilepsy is taken into account in (a) work capability assessments, (b) entitlement to benefits and (c) assessments for availability for work for people with that condition.

The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) was introduced by the last Labour government in October 2008 and was developed in consultation with medical and other experts, including representative groups to ensure it is appropriate for all conditions.

Entitlement to benefit does not depend on the condition itself, the underlying cause or how it is classified, but on the disabling effects of the condition(s) present.

When assessing a claimant, Healthcare Professionals are expected to be mindful of the fact that many illnesses produce symptoms that vary in intensity over time, and are instructed not to base their opinion solely on the situation as observed at the assessment.