The Department for Work and Pensions is reforming the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) system used to determine eligibility for disability benefits, including changes to assessment procedures, timescales, and the Personal Independence Payment scheme. The reform addresses longstanding concerns about assessment accuracy and access, with recent focus on recording requirements and the WorkWell expansion programme. Current status involves active legislative proposals including the Disability Benefit Assessments (Recording) Bill and ongoing consultation on legacy benefits abolition.
In response to: Right to Try
Summary of the Right to Try regulations from The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
A report by the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) and statement from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
This document sets out the terms of reference for the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The government's proposals to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle economic inactivity and support people into good work.
Statement The following Statement was made in the House of Commons on Monday 30 June. “With permission, I will make a Statement on the Government’s welfare reforms. This Government believe in equality and social justice, and we are determined to …
15:37:00 The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall): With permission, I will make a statement on the Government’s welfare reforms. This Government believe in equality and social justice, and we are determined to build a fairer society …
These are the outcomes the government wants to see from proposals to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle economic inactivity, support people into good work and fuel economic growth
A report by the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) and statement from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
Statement 20:19:00 The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Sherlock) (Lab): My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall repeat a Statement made earlier today in the other place by my right honourable friend the …
12:36:00 The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall): This Government are ambitious for our people and our country. We believe that unleashing the talents of the British people is the key to our future success. But the …
Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con): 12. What steps he is taking to reform the welfare system. Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con): 18. What steps his Department is taking to reform the welfare system. The Secretary of State for Work and …
A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that applicants for Disability Benefit are given the option of their eligibility assessment being audio recorded; and for connected purposes.
A consultation seeking views on proposals aimed at increasing employer use of Occupational Health Services.
In response to: Work Capability Assessment: activities and descriptors
This consultation seeks views on changes to the activities and descriptors in the Work Capability Assessment.
This consultation seeks views on changes to the activities and descriptors in the Work Capability Assessment.
A consultation seeking views on proposals aimed at increasing employer use of Occupational Health Services.
The government’s response to the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) report about the future of working age contributory benefits for those not in paid work
This consultation seeks views on changes to the activities and descriptors in the Work Capability Assessment.
A consultation seeking views on proposals aimed at increasing employer use of Occupational Health Services.
A duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that applicants for Disability Benefit are given the option of their eligibility assessment being audio recorded; and for connected purposes.
A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that applicants for Disability Benefit are given the option of their eligibility assessment being audio recorded; and for connected purposes.
This consultation seeks views on different ways in which government and employers can take action to reduce ill health-related job loss.
A Bill to place a duty on the Secretary of State to ensure that applicants for Disability Benefit are given the option of their eligibility assessment being audio recorded; and for connected purposes.
This consultation seeks views on different ways in which government and employers can take action to reduce ill health-related job loss.
This consultation seeks views on different ways in which government and employers can take action to reduce ill health-related job loss.
We are seeking views on our plans to publish statistics on the Work and Health Programme (WHP).
We are seeking views on our plans to publish statistics on the Work and Health Programme (WHP).
We are seeking views on our plans to publish statistics on the Work and Health Programme (WHP).
Wayne David (Caerphilly) (Lab): 1. What recent assessment he has made of the effect of welfare reforms since 2015 on people living in Wales. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Stuart Andrew): Welfare reforms in Wales are working. Since …
The government's response to Paul Gray's second independent review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments.
We are seeking views on what it will take to transform employment prospects for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
This consultation seeks views on the proposed closure of Westminster Jobcentre.
This consultation seeks views on the proposed closure of Westminster Jobcentre.
We are seeking views on what it will take to transform employment prospects for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
This consultation seeks views on the proposed closure of Westminster Jobcentre.
We are seeking views on what it will take to transform employment prospects for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Peter Grant (Glenrothes) (SNP): 1. What assessment he has made of the effect of his Department’s welfare reforms on low and middle-income households since 2010. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith): As a result …
Commons Reasons 15:06:00 Motion A Moved by Lord Freud: That this House do not insist on its Amendments 8B and 8C, to which the Commons have disagreed for their Reason 8D. 8: Clause 13, leave out Clause 13. Commons Disagreement …
Consideration of Lords message Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): I must draw the House’s attention to the fact that financial privilege is involved in Lords amendments 8B, 8C, 9B and 9C. Before Clause 4 18:07:00 The Minister for Employment …
Commons Reasons and Amendment 15:07:00 Motion A Moved by Lord Freud: That this House do not insist on its Amendment 1 to which the Commons have disagreed for their Reason 1A, but do propose Amendments 1B, 1C and 1D in …
Motion made, and Question put forthwith (Standing Order No. 83A(7)), That the following provisions shall apply to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill for the purpose of supplementing the Orders of 20 July 2015 (Welfare Reform and Work Bill (Programme)), …
Consideration of Lords amendments Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): I must draw the House’s attention to the fact that financial privilege is involved in Lords amendments 2 to 6, 8, 9 and 11. If the House agrees to any …
Third Reading 15:07:00 Relevant documents: 13th, 19th and 20th Reports from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 8: Benefit cap Amendment 1 Moved by 1: Clause 8, page 9, leave out lines 28 and 29 The Minister of State, Department for …
Consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Report (2nd Day) 15:37:00 Relevant documents: 1 3th and 19 th Reports f rom the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 11: Changes to child tax credit Amendment 35 Moved by 35: Clause 11, page 13, line 12, at end insert “, …
Report (2nd Day) (Continued) 21:06:00 Amendment 46B not moved. Amendment 46C Moved by 46C: After Clause 15, insert the following new Clause— “Application of sanctions and disallowances to Jobseeker’s Allowance (1) The Jobseeker’s Allowance Regulations 1996 are amended as follows. …
Report (1st Day) 15:08:00 Relevant documents: 13th and 19th Reports from the Delegated Powers Committee Amendment 1 Moved by 1: After Clause 1, insert the following new Clause— “Disability employment gap: reporting obligation (1) The Secretary of State must lay …
Report (1st Day) (Continued) 17:32:00 Clause 4: Workless households and educational attainment: reporting obligations Amendment 3 Moved by 3: Clause 4, page 4, line 31, at end insert— “Maternal nutrition: reporting obligationA1ZA Maternal nutrition and poverty: reporting obligation (1) The …
Report (1st Day) (Continued) 20:48:00 Amendment 25 Moved by 25: Clause 7, page 9, leave out lines 7 to 10 Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Lab): My Lords, Amendment 25 would remove child benefit and child tax credits from the benefit …
Order of Consideration Motion 11:37:00 Tabled by Lord Freud: That the amendments for the Report stage be marshalled and considered in the following order: Clauses 1 to 10, Schedule 1, Clauses 11 to 25, Schedule 2, Clauses 26 to 35, …
Committee (5th Day) 17:41:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 21: Reduction in social housing rents Amendment 104BC Moved by 104BC: Clause 21, page 20, line 23, after “began” insert “at or” Baroness Evans of Bowes …
Committee (4th Day) 15:18:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Moved by Lord Freud: That the House do now resolve itself into a Committee upon the Bill. Baroness Hayman (CB): My Lords, on a business point, perhaps …
Committee (4th Day) (Continued) 20:45:00 Amendment 97 Moved by 97: Clause 9, page 11, line 31, at end insert— “( ) Notwithstanding subsection (1), for each of the tax years ending with 5 April 2017, 5 April 2018, 5 April …
Committee (3rd Day) 17:07:00 Relevant document : 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Amendment 57 Moved by 57: After Clause 15, insert the following new Clause— “Review of application of sanctions (1) The Secretary of State must, before the …
Committee (3rd Day) (Continued) 18:46:00 Amendment 58 Moved by 58: After Clause 15, insert the following new Clause— “Safeguarding of vulnerable claimants: guidance (1) The Secretary of State shall issue statutory guidance for the safeguarding of vulnerable claimants in relation …
Consultation on aids and appliances and the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Committee (2nd Day) 15:39:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 4: Workless households and educational attainment: reporting obligations Amendment 24 Moved by 24: Clause 4, page 4, line 38, at end insert— “( ) children in …
Committee (2nd Day) (Continued) 20:59:00 Clause 15: Universal credit: work-related requirements Amendment 53A Moved by 53A: Clause 15, page 14, line 30, at end insert— “( ) in section 14 (claimant commitment), after subsection (5) insert—“(6) In preparing a claimant …
Committee (1st Day) 15:19:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Clause 11: Changes to child tax credit Amendment 1 Moved by 1: Clause 11, page 13, line 11, after “person,” insert— “( ) the child is in …
Committee (1st Day) (Continued) 18:29:00 Amendment 3 Moved by 3: Clause 11, page 13, line 12, at end insert— “( ) The limit on the number of children or qualifying young persons for whom an individual element of child tax …
Committee (1st Day) Continued 20:50:00 Relevant document: 13th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee Amendment 11 Moved by 11: Clause 12, page 13, line 23, at end insert— “( ) Subsection (1A) does not apply in respect of persons who …
Motion to Approve 17:52:00 Moved by Lord Freud: That the draft Order laid before the House on 26 November be approved. Relevant documents: 16th Report from the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, 11th Report from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments …
Order of Consideration Motion 11:47:00 Moved by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: That it be an instruction to the Committee of the Whole House to which the Welfare Reform and Work Bill has been committed that they consider the bill …
The government's second response to Paul Gray's independent review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments.
Second Reading 16:25:00 Moved by Lord Freud: That the Bill be now read a second time. The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): My Lords, this Bill will ensure that the welfare system is put …
First Reading The Bill was brought from the Commons, read a first time and ordered to be printed.
Consideration of Bill, as amended in the Public Bill Committee New Clause 1 Repeal of Tax Credits Regulations 2015 “(1) The Tax Credits (Income Thresholds and Determination of Rates) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 are repealed.”— (Owen Smith.) Brought up, and read …
Second Reading Mr Speaker: I must inform the House that I have selected the amendment standing in the name of the acting Leader of the Opposition. 17:34:00 The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith): I …
16:41:00 Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab): I beg to move, That this House has considered welfare reform and people with disabilities. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship once again, Sir Roger. It is poignant that …
Equality analysis of reforms to the Access to Work employment support programme for disabled people.
The government's first response to Paul Gray's independent review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments.
Government response to Dr Paul Litchfield's independent review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
Equality analysis about changes to JSA sickness rules.
16:29:00 Wayne David (Caerphilly) (Lab): It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. As a Member of Parliament representing a seat in the south Wales valleys, I am only too aware of the impact on my constituents …
Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab): 5. What recent assessment she has made of the effect of the non-implementation of welfare reform on the Northern Ireland Executive’s budget. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mrs Theresa Villiers): The failure …
16:30:00 Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland) (Lab): It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr Dobbin, in this brief debate. The social cost of the current Government’s welfare reforms is extremely high and is being keenly felt in …
11:22:00 John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab): I beg to move, That this House calls on the Government to commission an independent cumulative assessment of the impact of changes in the welfare system on sick and disabled people, their families …
Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op): 1. If he will undertake a cumulative impact assessment of the effects of the Government’s welfare reforms on sick and disabled people. The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Mike Penning): The …
16:00:00 Charlie Elphicke (Dover) (Con): It is a pleasure, Mr Sheridan, to have this debate under your chairmanship. I want to explore where we are with welfare reform and the options for the future. The coalition Government inherited a broken …
Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP): 3. What assessment she has made of the potential effect in Northern Ireland of the Government’s proposed further reductions in welfare expenditure. Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab): 7. What recent assessment she has made of …
Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): 4. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Government's welfare benefit reforms in Scotland. Fiona O'Donnell (East Lothian) …
[Mr Christopher Chope in the Chair ] 14:30:00 Mr Christopher Chope (in the Chair): Owing to the interest in this debate, it will be necessary to impose a time limit on speeches. I shall decide what that will be after …
Mr Tom Clarke (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill) (Lab): 2. What assessment he has made of the effects of welfare reform on Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen Paterson): The reforms that we have introduced give …
Gemma Doyle (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab/Co-op): 2. What assessment she has made of the cumulative effect of welfare reform legislation on disabled people. Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab): 5. What assessment she has made of the cumulative effect of welfare reform legislation …
Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey) (Con): 1. What recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on welfare reform. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen Paterson): I regularly discuss the benefits of our …
Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op): 14. What recent assessment he has made of the likely effects of his welfare reform proposals on families with multiple births. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith): …
Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con): 6. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on welfare reform in Wales. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr David Jones): My right …
Question 15:02:00 Asked By Lord Christopher: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their welfare proposals took account of the International Labour Organisation’s Convention 29 on forced labour. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): My …
Statement 14:03:00 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall repeat a Statement on welfare reform made earlier today in the other place by the Secretary …
12:15:00 The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith): With permission, Mr Speaker, I should like to make a statement on welfare reform. Let me say in advance of that that I have tried to give …
Statement 17:26:00 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): My Lords, with the leave of the House, I shall repeat a Statement on welfare reform made earlier today in the other place by the Secretary …
16:04:00 The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Mr Iain Duncan Smith): With permission, Mr Speaker, I should like to make a statement on welfare reform. Let me start by welcoming the right hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire …
Private Notice Question 15:09:00 Tabled By Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to report to Parliament the details of welfare reforms including the introduction of a universal credit, a family benefit cap and …