Reforms to the UK benefits system have been proposed with a shake-up impacting claimants across the country. According to reports, the Government has recently published the Health and Disability White Paper, which lays out the proposed reforms with details leading the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to set out its plans to end the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to encourage people who need to claim benefits back into work.
Under the new proposals, instead of undergoing a WCA, the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment would be the only one used to decide whether a person will receive the new Universal Credit health element. Minister for Disabled People Tom Pursglove MP has also confirmed that “PIP will not be means-tested” and will stay separate from Universal Credit.
It’s important to keep in mind that these planned changes in the White Paper are proposals and will be debated in Parliament before coming into force in 2026-27, reported Daily Record. WCAs currently provide decisions on whether a person is fit for work for the purpose of their Employment Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit allowance.
