View
216
Download
0
Category
Tags:
Preview:
Citation preview
Incapacity benefits reassessment
Rosie Wilson
Incapacity benefits reassessmentsummary
• Current incapacity benefits abolished by 2014• Most getting these benefits to be reassessed under
the Employment and Support Allowance test• Started from 28 February 2011(limited numbers till
May)• People reaching pension age by March 2014 not
affected• “Linked” claims for incapacity benefits abolished
from 31 January 2011• No PCAs after March 31
Timetable
• Started from 28 February 2011. 1000 a week nationally till April
• 7000 a week from beginning of April
• 11,000 a week from beginning of May
Order of reassessment
• People getting Incapacity Benefit, Income Support or both
• People getting SDA or SDA with Income Support
• Credits only claimants after March 2014
The process
• JC+ send letter to claimant telling them about reassessment, at the time they are due to reassessed for old benefit (?)
• JC+ contact centre phones claimant to ask if need additional support
• Most claimants (probably) asked to complete ESA50 form
• Most claimants (probably) asked to attend medical• Decision made by JC+ decision maker
Process (continued)
• JC+ decision maker phones claimant to tell them about decision
• Claimant gets decision notice (letter)• Possible outcomes:
• Qualify for ESA and transfer 2 to 4 weeks after date of decision with transitional addition if ESA less than old benefit
• Do not qualify for ESA and sign on for Jobseekers Allowance or claim another benefit
• Do not qualify for ESA and appeal• “Move off” benefit
Internal
Customer Touchpoints – Overview
Someone calls me to give
further information and
advice, find out if I need extra help with the process
Someone calls me to arrange a
Work Capability
Assessment appointment
ESA 50ESA 50
£
Work
Related
Activity
group
Support Group
I attend the Work Focused
Interview
/
Appeals
I write a letter / call to appeal*
I receive a letter informing me that
changes are about to commence and advising me on the next steps
The Jobcentre contacts me to arrange a Work
Focused interview
I attend the Work
Capability Assessment with the Atos Health Care
Service
I receive a letter with my
Employment Support Allowance award notification
Atos Health Care call me to arrange & conduct a Work Focused Health Related Assessment
(WFHRA)
ALLOWED
Someone calls to gather any
missing information and
explain the next steps (this TP only applies to
customers with missing
information)
I receive a medical
questionnaire to fill out
I become aware about forthcoming
changes to my benefits
I receive a letter informing me of
benefit disallowance and the Work
Capability Assessment
outcome
DISALLOWED
12
34
56
9
11
12
1314
15
GENERAL ENQUIRIES/HELP/SUPPORTGENERAL ENQUIRIES/HELP/SUPPORT
Someone calls to inform me of the
entitlement decision and advises me of
my options. If I wish to claim Jobseeker’s
Allowance I am transferred to
someone who takes my claim details
7I receive a letter with
my Jobseeker’s Allowance
(JSA)award notification
£
17
*if customer calls they will be told appeal needs to be in writing
Cases with Child Dependency Addition begin migration to Child Tax Credit at Touchpoint 3
For disallowed cases entitlement to Income Support on grounds other than incapacity is checked prior to Touchpoint 13
7
Someone calls to advise on Employment
Support Allowance
(ESA) entitlement and next steps in the
ESA regime
Someone calls to confirm
information for reconsideration^
16
Face to
Face
8
10
08/09/10
Version: 4.0
~suspended for 2 years from 19/07/2010
Assessment process overview
• ESA50• Not if terminally ill and submit DS1500• Or enough other evidence• Must complete and return within 6 weeks or
treated as fit for work
• Medical• Not if terminally ill or enough evidence to show
unfit for work and work related activity
• Decision
Transitional additions
• If ESA is less than claimant’s old benefit is made up to the same amount with a transitional addition
• This amount then frozen until normal ESA rates catch up
• TAs reduce in certain circumstances: For example, no longer entitled to dependant’s addition
• TAs not paid pending appeal
Issues - locally
• High percentage claiming incapacity benefits/ESA
• Over 80 reassessments a week• More than 6,000 expected to fail the WCA• 3,600 likely to “move off benefit”• Newcastle Medical Examination Centre has
highest WCA failure rate in the country
Issues - generally
• Increase in demand
• “Revolving door” problem of frequent reassessments
• Quality of assessments
• Reassessments and appeals
Issues - generally
• Potential drop in income• 12 month limit for contribution based ESA for
those in work related activity group, and abolition of youth rules
• Work related activity requirement and sanctions
• ESA and the Work Programme
What we are doing so far
• Briefed over 100 professionals about the reassessments
• One day training course on ESA and mental health
• From November 2010 introduced:• Triage system for referrals and telephone
enquiries from professionals• Dedicated tribunal unit
What we are doing so far
• Website• More involvement with corporate
appointeeships• Factsheets:
• ESA – basic explanation• Incapacity benefits reassessment• Completing the ESA50 (work in progress…)
• The briefing paper
Recommended