Written questions

Work Capability Assessment

Commons · Question 80360 · Tabled 10 Oct 2025 · Department for Work and Pensions · Official record

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question

Asked by Scott Arthur

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many existing claimants are awaiting a Work Capability Assessment; what the average wait time is; and when he expects the backlog to be cleared.

Answer

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms, 20 Oct 2025

During the second half of 2024, DWP experienced a much higher level of demand for new Work Capability Assessments (WCA) than envisaged. As a result, 35,000 reassessments built up from individuals reporting a change in their condition before May 2025. We h...