Initial Work Capability Assessments: comparison between blind and partially sighted people and all ESA claimants: Great Britain, November 2015 Update

1.Introduction

This briefing contains recent statistics on the outcomes of the initial Work Capability Assessments (WCA) for blind and partially sighted (BPS) Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants in Great Britain. The statistics presented apply to claims for the periodsfromJuly to September 2014, with outcomes recorded until March 2015 (outcomes after this date are not included).

The statistics were provided by DWP following a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request for analysis relating to ESA claimants who are blind or partially sighted. Equivalent tables for all claimants are in the Official Statistics ESA outcomes bulletin, released on 11 June 2015(DWP, 2015).

1.1Definition of blind and partially sighted

DWP administrative data has a category 'Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa'. As this includes some acute medical conditions that do not cause vision impairment ESA claimants with these acute conditions are excludedfrom the tables in this briefing. The tables are broken down by each of the 10 non-acute conditions in Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa detailed in appendix A.

Throughout this document, claimants with Diseases of the Eye and Adnexa with conditions that are associated with vision impairment (as detailed in appendix A) will be referred to as the BPS group.

1.2Notes on the tables

The figures provided by DWP are rounded to the nearest 100. The sum of the numbers in the tables may therefore not tally exactly with the totals given. They also exclude any numbers under ten (which are denoted as “ – “ meaning ‘nil or negligible’). All the percentages are therefore based on the DWP totals and for this reason may not add up to 100%.

2.Key findings

2.1BPS claimants put forward for WCA

  • Between October 2008 and September 2014 a total of 21,800blind and partially sightedESA claimants had undertaken orwere in the process of undertaking an initial Work Capability Assessment, or had closed their claim before the assessment had been completed.
  • 39% of BPS claimants (8,600) were in the 'blindness and low vision' sub-group
  • One third of claims were closed before initial assessment had been completed
  • One in ten BPS claimants were still undergoing assessment

2.2Initial WCA outcomes

  • Between October 2008 and December 2014 a total of 12,400blind and partially sighted claimants completed their initial Work Capability Assessment. The proportions of claimants recorded in each group are as follows:
  • Support Group represents:
  • 27% of all claimants
  • 28% of BPS claimants
  • and 65% of BPS claimants in the Support Group had 'blindness and low vision' (this was the largest of all the BPS sub-groups)
  • 41% of claimants with ‘blindness and low vision’ were allocated to the Support Group
  • Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) represents:
  • 23% of all recorded claimants
  • 31% of BPS claimants
  • 50%of BPS claimants in the'Blindness and Low Vision'sub-group (this was the largest of all the BPS sub-groups)
  • 34% of all claimants with ‘blindness and low vision’ were allocated to the WRAG group
  • Fit for Work:
  • 50% all claimants
  • 41% BPS claimants
  • 27.5% BPS claimants found Fit for Work had'blindness and low vision'(this was the largest of all the BPS sub-groups)
  • 25% of claimants with ‘blindness and low vision’ were found Fit for Work

2.3Fit for Work (FFW) appeals

  • Between October 2008 and March 2014 a total of 5,000 blind and partially sighted claimants appealed their initial Fit for Work decision. Information on the appeal outcome was available for only 36% of them (1,800). The outcomes were:
  • Of the 1,800 BPS people whose appeal outcome is known:
  • 700 (39%) had their initial decision overturned
  • 1,100 (61%) had their initial decision upheld
  • Of the 500 people in the blindness and low vision group whose appeals outcome is known:
  • 200 (40%) had their initial decision overturned
  • 300 (60%) had their initial decision upheld

2.4Outcomes of initial WCA assessments adjusted to account for the outcome of appeals

  • Between October 2008 and September 2014, the number of completed initial functional assessments of BPS ESA claimants was: 12,600. When the outcomes of FFW appeal decisions are taken into account the WCA, The proportions of claimants recorded in each group are as follows:
  • Support Group:
  • 28% of all claimants
  • 30% BPS claimants
  • 45% BPS claimants with 'blindness and low vision'
  • Work Related Activity Group (WRAG):
  • 29% of all claimants
  • 35% BPS claimants
  • 38% BPS claimants with 'blindness and low vision'
  • Fit for Work:
  • 42% of all claimants
  • 35% BPS claimants
  • 18% BPS claimants with 'blindness and low vision'

2.5Incapacity Benefits reassessments: outcomes of Work Capability Assessments adjusted to account for the outcome of appeal

  • Since the start of the reassessment process in April 2011 and September 2014, a total of 10,400 BPS people on Incapacity Benefit (IB) were referred for reassessment.
  • 67% of BPS claimants (7,000) were in the 'blindness and low vision'sub-group
  • 2% of BPS claimants were still undergoing assessment
  • 4% of BPS claimants had their claim closed before assessment had taken place
  • The number of BPS people whose IB reassessment had been completed was: 9,800. After adjusting for the outcome of appeals, the outcomes for completed assessments were:
  • Support Group:
  • 45% all claimants
  • 61% BPS claimants
  • 75% of BPS claimants in the Support Group had 'blindness and low vision' (this was the largest of all the BPS sub-groups)
  • 68% of claimants with ‘blindness and low vision’ were allocated to the Support Group
  • Work Related Activity Group (WRAG):
  • 36% all claimants
  • 31% BPS claimants
  • 60%of BPS claimants in the WRAG group had'Blindness and Low Vision'(this was the largest of all the BPS sub-groups)
  • 27% of claimants with ‘blindness and low vision’ were allocated to the WRAG group
  • Fit for Work:
  • 19% all claimants
  • 8% BPS claimants
  • 37% BPS claimants found Fit for Work had 'blindness and low vision' (this was the largest of all the BPS sub-groups)
  • 5% of claimants with ‘blindness and low vision’ were found Fit for Work

3. WCA outcomes for blind and partially sighted ESA claimants in Great Britain

3.1 New claims –ESA claimants put forward for a Work Capability Assessment (WCA)

TablesRNIB1 and RNIB 2 correspond to the whole of the period in tables 1a and 7 in theDWP report. During the period October 2008 to September 2014, a total of 21,800 blind and partially sighted ESA claimants were put forward for an initial Work Capability Assessment. Of these, a third (7,100 claimants) had closed their claim before the assessment was complete. One in ten (2,100) were still being assessed. The initial assessment was completed for the remaining 58% (12,600).

For claimants whose claim was closed before the assessment was completed, there is clear variation between the sub-groups of eye condition. We see that the proportion varies with all claimants with Iridocyclitis claim being closed, over 50% of claims for those with Disorders of the Globe and Retinal Detachments being closedand only one in five claimsfor those with Blindness and Low Vision being closed.

3.2 New claims – Outcomes of initial functional assessments

Tables RNIB 3 and RNIB 4 correspond to table 2a in the DWP report. They cover the period October 2008 to December 2014.

3.2.1Initial WCA outcomes for BPS claimants

Between October 2008 and December 2013, initial WCA assessments were completed for 12,400 BPS claimants. Just over two in five (41%) were found Fit for Work, just under a third (31%) were allocated to the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) and the remaining 28% were allocated to the Support Group.

3.2.2Comparison with all ESA claimants

The proportion of BPS claimants found Fit for Work was lower than the proportion for all general claimants (50%). For claimants with blindness and low vision the proportion much lower at 25%.

The proportion of BPS claimants allocated to the WRAG was higher than the proportion for all general claimants (23%). For claimants with blindness and low vision the proportion was higher at 34%.

A similar proportion were allocated tothe Support Group (27% of all claimants). For claimants with blindness and low vision the proportion was higher at 41%.

3.2.3Comparisons between BPS sub-groups

The largest sub-group of the 12,400 BPS claimants (5,600) were those with blindness and low vision representing 45% of the total. The second largest sub-group (3,400) were claimants with 'Other Disorders of the Eye and Adnexa' representing 27%.The third and fourth largest sub-groups were claimants with 'Other Cataract' (1,500) and 'Glaucoma' (900) representing 12% and 7% respectively (percentages are rounded).

Claimants in the blindness and low vision group were much less likely than BPS claimants in any of the other sub-groups to be found Fit for Work. Only 25% of this group were assessed as Fit for Work. They were also the sub-group with the highest proportion assigned to the Support Group (41%).

44% of claimants with Glaucoma were found Fit for Work, for all other sub-groups, over half were found FFW rising to 100% of claimants with Keratitis. There doesn't seem to be any obvious reason why this may be the case, although it is important to note that the numbers in some of the groups (Keratitis, Iridocyclitis, Disorders of the Globe, Other Disorders of the Optic Nerve and Visual Pathways, and Nystagmus and Other Irregular Eye Movement) were very small, ranging from ‘nil or negligible’ to 100 claimants in total over the entire period.As figures were rounded, there may have been very small numbers – under ten – allocated to the other groups, particularly for claimants with Keratitis.

3.3New claims - Outcomes of appeals heard on Fit for Work decisions in initial functional assessment

TablesRNIB 5 and RNIB 6 correspond to the whole of the period October 2008 to March 2013 detailed in table 3 of the DWP report.

3.3.1Outcomes of appeals for BPS claimants

During the period October 2008 to March 2013 a total of 5,000 BPS claimants appealed against their Fit for Work decision. Appeal outcomes information is available for only 1,800 of these claimants, representing just over a third (36%). For the remaining 3,200 there is 'no completed appeals information at this date'.

Of the 1,800 claimants whose appeal outcome is known, 61% had their initial decision upheld and 39% had the initial decision overturned.These proportions are very similar for claimants in the blindness and low vision sub-group.

3.3.2Comparison with all ESA claimants on appeal outcomes

Comparing BPS claimants with all ESA claimants whose appeal decision details are available, there was very little difference between BPS claimants compared with all claimants overall; 37% of all claimants and 39% of BPS claimants had their initial FFW decision overturned at appeal.

3.3.3Comparisons between BPS sub-groups on appeal outcomes

Because the numbers in some of the sub-groups are so small, it is not possible to detect any meaningful differences in terms of appeal outcomes. We only have figures for four BPS sub-groups: Blindness and Low Vision, Other Cataract, Glaucoma and Other Disorders of the Eye and Adnexa.

The sub-group that made the largest number of appeals (1,800) was the Other Disorders of the Eye and Adnexa group, followed by 1,200 claimants with blindness and low vision and 900 with Other Cataract. These were also the sub-groups with the largest numbers of ESA claimants undergoing a WCA represented in tables RNIB 1 and RNIB 3.

3.4New claims - Outcomes of initial functional assessment adjusted to account for the outcome of appeal

TablesRNIB 7 and RNIB 8 correspond to the whole of the period from October 2008 to September 2014 detailed in table 4 of the DWP report.These tables give the WCA outcome figures for BPS claimants adjusted to take into account the FFW appeal decisions.

3.4.1Adjusted outcomes for BPS claimants

Of the 12,600 BPS claimants whose claim had been completed, and taking into account the decision following appeals that had been made against the Fit for Work decision, 35% had been found Fit for Work, 35% allocated to the WRAG and 30% to the Support Group.

As a proportion of the initial FFW decisions were overturned following appeal we would expect to see a higher proportion of claimants allocated to the WRAG and Support Group. This is in fact what we do see. If we compare the outcomes for the completed assessments in RNIB tables 1 and 2 for the same period, the proportion of BPS claimants in the WRAG has increased when adjusted for the appeal outcome (from 31% to 35%) and the proportion found Fit for Work has decreased (41% to 35%). Those allocated to the Support Group has also increased slightly (28% to 30%).

3.4.2Comparisons between BPS sub-groups on adjusted outcomes

When looking at WCA outcomes for BPS claimants in the different sub-groups when FFW appeal decisions have been taken into account the sub-group that stands out most from the other BPS claimant sub-groups is the blindness and low vision group. Following adjustments for appeal decisions, only 18% of claimants in this group were found Fit for Work, compared to 35% of BPS claimants overall.

A higher proportion of claimants in the blindnessand low vision sub-group were also allocated to the WRAG (38% compared to 35%) and the Support Group (45% compared to 30% of BPS claimants overall).

A higher proportion of claimants in the blindness and low vision group had also been allocated to the WRAG and Support Group following the overturning of their initial FFW decision (comparing RNIB tables 1 and 7). Before the appeals process 25% of claimants with blindness and low vision were found Fit for Work. If we look at the adjusted outcomes following appeal this figure has dropped to 18%. Before appeal, 34% were allocated to the WRAG and after adjusting for appeals the proportion was 38%. For the Support Group the proportions were 41% and 45% respectively.

3.5Incapacity Benefits (IB) Reassessments - Outcomes of Work Capability Assessments adjusted to account for the outcome of appeal

RNIB tables 9 and 10 correspond to table 10 in the DWP report. Since the start of the reassessment process in April 2011 and September 2014, a total of 10,400 BPS people on Incapacity Benefit (IB) were referred for reassessment. The outcomes detailed below are adjusted to account for the outcomes of appeals.

3.5.1 Adjusted outcomes for BPS IB reassessments

Of the 10,400 BPS IB claimants who underwent a reassessment, outcomes are known for 9,800 representing 94% of reassessments. 400 people had their claim closed before the assessment was completed and the assessment was still in progress for a further 200.

For the 9,800 IB claimants whose reassessment outcomes were known, 61% were allocated to the Support Group. 31% were assigned to the WRAG while 8% were found Fit for Work.

3.5.2Comparison with all IB reassessments on adjusted outcomes

If we compare outcomes of completed reassessments for BPS claimants with all claimants we see that BPS claimants were more likely to be assigned to the Support Group (61% compared to 45%). They were less likely to be assigned to theWRAG (31% compared to 36%) or found Fit for Work (8% compared to 19%).

3.5.3Comparisons between BPS sub-groups’ IB reassessments on adjusted outcomes

By far the largest BPS sub-group of IB claimants who were put forward for reassessment was the blindness and low vision group: 7,000 claimants in total representing two thirds (67%) of all BPS reassessments. The second largest group was people with other disorders of the eye and adnexa: 1,700 or 16% of BPS IB reassessments. Ranked third in size was the glaucoma sub-group: 600 people in total representing only 6% of the BPS group.

While the small numbers of most of the BPS sub-groups makes comparison between the groups difficult, it is worth noting that the blindness and low vision group does appear to stand out as having different outcomes from the other BPS sub-groups.

Claimants with blindness and low vision were more likely than any other group – and more likely than the BPS group as a whole – to be assigned to the Support Group and far less likely to be found Fit for Work.

Of the 6,600 claimants with blindness and low vision whose outcomes were known, over two thirds (68%) were assigned to the Support Group. This compares to 61% of BPS claimants overall. For the other, smaller BPS sub-groups the proportions ranged from 44% to 50%.

Only one in 20 claimants with blindness and low vision was found Fit for Work (5%). This is a much smaller proportion than the 25% of claimants with other cataract and smaller than the 8% of BPS claimants overall.

The differences were less in relation to allocation to the WRAG. For the blindness and low vision sub-group the proportion allocated to the WRAG was 30.4% compared to 35.7% with other disorders of the eye and adnexa and 32.6% of BPS claimants overall.