2,284,700 people on sickness benefits are past the date they were due to be reassessed. Nearly 700,000 of them are more than three years overdue – they could be working…
The figures, revealed in a parliamentary answer this week, show 1.5 million claimants are more than a year past their reassessment date. Each date is set by the assessor based on when the claimant’s condition was expected to improve. At which point they are forgotten about because the government prioritises getting new claimants onto benefits…
These are Universal Credit claimants with a current Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) who have not subsequently undergone a further Work Capability Assessment despite passing their reassessment date:
| Time past reassessment date | Claimants | % |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 3 months | 195,200 | 9 |
| 3 to 6 months | 231,700 | 10 |
| 6 to 12 months | 361,200 | 16 |
| 1 to 2 years | 460,500 | 20 |
| 2 to 3 years | 340,400 | 15 |
| More than 3 years | 695,800 | 30 |
| Total | 2,284,700 | 100 |
DWP admitted this month that existing claimants are waiting an average of 272 working days for a reassessment. Back in March, the department said there was a backlog of 35,000 reassessments waiting to be seen. So the other two million are not even in the queue…
OBR Chairman Jonathan Haskel emphasised on the Today Programme this morning the Budget has facilitated a “big increase” of the benefits bill to 11% of GDP from 10.5%. Those savings coming any time soon, John?
Robert Jenrick told a rally on Monday:
“They say Chancellors are either undertakers or bookies. This one is an ostrich – and when the Chancellor buries his head in the sand, the rest of us, we’re left staring at his you know what.”