Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 2 December 2021 to Question 80405 Work Capability Assessment, for what reason her Department does not hold that data.

The number of outstanding WCA referrals made to the assessment provider, as of 5 December 2021, was 336,100.

The reason why the data requested by the original question is not held, is that this is not a backlog. There will always be outstanding referrals in the assessment process, from those claimants who have been asked to return a Capability for Work questionnaire and have yet to do so, through to those with an assessment scheduled in the coming weeks. The Department closely monitors the levels of outstanding referrals.

Not all these cases will require the claimant to attend an assessment. Where there is already sufficient evidence to determine benefit entitlement, claims will be assessed on a paper basis.

The number of referrals where the paper evidence has been reviewed by a Healthcare Professional and the claimant is either waiting for an assessment to be scheduled, or already has one scheduled, as of 5th December 2021, was 231,200.

Please note:

• This figure has been rounded to the nearest 100
• The above data is derived from contractual management information produced by the assessment providers.
• The above data is derived from unpublished management information which is collected for internal departmental use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics Publication standards.