Updated 27 February 2013
Number of Incapacity Benefit recipients reassessed and those moving from Incapacity Benefit to Employment and Support Allowance nationally
Indicator description
The indicator measures progress in reassessing the stock of claimants on those incapacity benefits that preceded the introduction of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). It shows the total number reassessed or closing their claim during reassessment and the number of these who moved to ESA. The reassessment process began at national level from April 2011 onwards. Categorisation is by the point at which an Incapacity Benefit claimant is referred to Atos Healthcare for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA). Data are released quarterly.
The publication uses the final DWP Decision Maker’s decision, or the recommendation made by the Atos Healthcare Professional, when the Decision Maker’s decision is not available. This provides a more complete analysis.
Latest data – published January 2013
The latest official statistics publication on Incapacity Benefit reassessment was published in January 2013 for claims referred up until the end of May 2012. It includes actions on these claims up to November 2012. The headline statistics are given below:
| Year | December 2011 to February 2012 | March 2012 to May 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Total reassessments completed or claims closed for claims referred in months shown | 134,400 | 134,900 |
| Total moving from Incapacity Benefit to Employment Support Allowance for claims referred in months shown | 85,800 | 88,700 |
In total, 586,500 claimants had begun the Incapacity Benefit reassessment process, before the end of May 2012 and had either completed the WCA process or left benefit before the process was completed by November 2012. Of these:
- 386,900 claimants were entitled to the benefit
- 179,900 claimants were assessed as Fit for Work (FFW) and are therefore not entitled to Employment Support Allowance
- 19,700 had left benefit before the assessment was completed.
A further 17,100 claimants who had begun the Incapacity Benefit reassessment process before the end of May 2012 but whose claims were still in progress in November 2012 are not included in the above figures.
This shows that 603,600 claimants had started the Incapacity Benefit Reassessment process by the end of May 2012. It is estimated that around 1.5 million claimants will have to be migrated, with the remainder expected to leave for other reasons or to reach state pension age before the process is completed. The full roll-out of the Incapacity Benefit Reassessment began nationally on 4 April 2011 and is expected to take three years to complete.
Note that the above figures include the effect of any completed appeals lodged against the outcome of the assessment.
- The January 2013 publication can be found here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_ibr/esa_ibr_jan13.pdf - The statistics from the January 2013 and further data on IB Reassessment can be found here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_ibr/esa_ibr_jan13.xls
