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Work Capability Assessment

Asked by Lee AndersonReform UKDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 7 September 2025UIN 71033

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Work Capability Assessment.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

As we outlined in our Pathways to Work Green Paper, we are scrapping the controversial Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to end the dysfunctional process which drives people into dependency, delivering on the Government’s commitment to reform or replace it, and removing the ‘can or can’t work flaw’ at the heart of our social security system.

Going through the WCA is complex, time consuming and stressful for customers, especially if they also have to go through the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) process. Therefore, it is right that we move to one assessment and do not put millions of people through two, similar and lengthy functional assessments.

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