Work Capability Assessment - consultation
The Government has launched an important consultation on proposals to revamp the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to better reflect changes to the world of work potentially opening up new opportunities for disabled people.
Supporting people into work is a key priority for this government with £3.5 billion of additional investment at the last Budget to get more people into work. This includes £2 billion targeted at those who are sick and disabled.
The WCA has not been significantly updated since 2011 and among the mooted changes is refining categories related to mobility and social interaction, reflecting the increasing support for flexible and remote work arrangements by employers.
Under plans included in the consultation, those identified as capable of work preparation activity under the new criteria would receive tailored support, preventing automatic exclusion from available support.
The consultation is open until 30 October, and we are urging people to get involved.
The consultation, which includes details of how you can share your views at accessible virtual events hosted by the DWP, can be found on GOV.UK.
Read full press release here
Pension Awareness - 11 to 15 September 2023
Pension Awareness is a campaign helping people understand their pensions and prepare for the retirement they want.
This year Pension Awareness is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Between 11 and 15 September, there will be free live and interactive webinars that dismantle essential pension topics into bite-sized chunks. Webinars will be led by industry experts including former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb, the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), and numerous pensions providers.
View the full schedule and register for the interactive webinars.
Keep across the latest developments by following the campaign: @PensionDay (X, formerly Twitter) and Pension Awareness Day (LinkedIn) #PAD23.
Access the promotional toolkit
Reducing Parental Conflict programme evaluation
DWP’s Reducing Parental Conflict (RPC) programme has published new research showing its positive impacts on families participating in interventions - both parents and children.
The reports show around half of parents supported by RPC reported improved relationships, even up to a year later. These were parents experiencing regular and intense conflict, and with different relationship statuses – the sample included couples and those separating or separated.
Most parents also found their children’s mental health improved after being helped by RPC, with almost three quarters (73%) receiving relationship support seeing it positively impact their children for the long-run - even a year later.
Read the reports
Move to Universal Credit update
September's expansion of Move to Universal Credit (UC) activity to move claimants on legacy benefits to UC will see work commence in:
· Cumbria and Lancashire
· Essex
· Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight
· Southwest Wales
· East Scotland
· Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire & Rutland
October will see work beginning in:
· Southeast Wales
· Central Scotland
We are continuing with our small-scale discovery phase for tax credit couples, learning and adapting to ensure couples can make a claim to UC effectively, before we increase numbers later this year.
From September we are commencing a separate small-scale discovery phase with other legacy benefit combinations, to support our preparation to move households on different combinations of legacy benefits at scale in 2024/25.
Building on the positive reception to January’s publication Learning from the Discovery Phase which outlined our learnings from the ‘Earliest Testable Service’ cohort (the first 500 Migration Notices issued in Bolton and Medway), we have published: Completing the Move to Universal Credit: learning from initial Tax Credit migrations and Move to Universal Credit statistics, July 2022 to May 2023.
Extra home adaptation funding
Fifty million pounds has been allocated to local authorities in England to help older people and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes.
Eligible disabled people of all ages will be able to apply to their local authority for a grant to adapt their home to better meet their needs and is available to homeowners, private renters and those in social housing.
Read the full press release
More detail for local areas can be found on the Foundations website.
Landmark survey seeks women’s views on experiences of reproductive health
Women across England are being encouraged to help shape future reproductive health policy by sharing their experiences of a range of issues as the Government launches a new landmark survey.
Delivering on a key commitment in the Women’s Health Strategy to ensure the health and care system prioritises women’s voices, the Women’s Reproductive Health Survey will seek women’s views across England on issues including menstrual health, contraception, fertility, pregnancy and the menopause.
Take part in the survey
Read the full press release
