 payments stopped. 1 Work capability assessments will be scrapped and LCWRA replaced by a new Universal Credit "Health Element" under a new DWP proposal Credit: Alamy These face losing £390.06 each month, which is the typical amount awarded to people who have a limited capability for work, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Under new plans, work capability assessments will be scrapped and LCWRA replaced by a new Universal Credit 'Health Element'. But to qualify, households would need to meet the eligibility criteria for personal independent payments (PIP). Right now, these claimants have to undergo a work capability assessment (WCA) to decide whether they're capable of working and if they're eligible for the free top-up. But in the future, PIP assessments which are already separate from WCAs will be used to assess if someone is eligible for the new Health Element. This means that half a million households not claiming PIP could be deemed ineligible for the extra cash. Thomas Hamilton-Shaw, policy manager at disability equality charity Scope, said: "The proposals will make a very flawed assessment even more high stakes for disabled claimants. "It may also cut hundreds of thousands of claimants out of financial support. "Too many disabled people are already trapped in poverty by a welfare system that's failing them. "There must be alternative routes for disabled claimants who aren't eligible for PIP to have access to financial support." Ayla Ozmen, director of policy and campaigns at the anti-poverty charity Z2K, said: "Seriously ill and disabled people are already more likely to be in poverty. "The DWP needs to fix its broken PIP syst){kind=link}
HALF a million households on Universal Credit face losing a major top-up under a shake up of the rules.
It’s feared that 516,100 could have their limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) payments stopped.
These face losing £390.06 each month, which is the typical amount awarded to people who have a limited capability for work, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Under new plans, work capability assessments will be scrapped and LCWRA replaced by a new Universal Credit ‘Health Element’.
But to qualify, households would need to meet the eligibility criteria for personal independent payments (PIP).