Appeal a Work Capability Assessment decision

This guide will help you challenge a decision that:

●        Closed your application because you didn’t send back the work capability questionnaire in time.                                                               

●        Closed your application because you didn’t attend the assessment without good reason.

●        Found you are not entitled because your disability or illness does not limit your ability to work enough (in DWP speak, you do not have limited capability for work).

●        Gave you the wrong award by putting you in the wrong group.  For example, if you claim Universal Credit, a decision that puts you in the limited capability for work (LCW) group when you believe you meet the criteria to be put in the limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) group. Or if you claim ESA, put you in the work-related activity group instead of the support group.

It won’t help you to appeal a sanction. If you have been sanctioned, it is a good idea to appeal. See Avoid or challenge a Universal Credit Sanction.

How this guide will help

Unfortunately, most people find it hard to get all the help they would like to sort the problem out. We will explain where you might be able to get advice in How to find an adviser. However, bear in mind many people have to do most or all of the work themselves, or with the help of their family and friends.

We have made this guide as helpful as possible.  This guide will take you step-by-step through the whole process of getting the decision about your ESA or Universal Credit changed. We will show you what to do at each stage, how to stop it from getting too stressful, and how to give yourself the best chance of getting a good result. And we have created a mandatory reconsideration template tool to help you write a really good letter that sets out your case.

Research shows that using our mandatory reconsideration tools more than doubles your chances of getting the decision changed at that stage.  Don’t be put off if the decision is not changed – most people then succeeded in their appeal. 

This guide looks long, but don't be put off - you will only need a few pages at each stage. We have broken the guide up into sections, so you know where you are and what you have to do next. If you are confused about where you are in the process or what might happen next, see the process.

We also now have a tool that writes a tribunal submission for you for the appeal panel.

What countries does this guide cover?

The information in this guide applies to England, Wales and Scotland. It will also be useful for people in Northern Ireland where the rules are the same but the names of the relevant government departments and forms are different.

Please bear in mind that if you are in Northern Ireland it is the Department for Communities (DfC) rather than the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunal Service (NICTS) rather than Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), and the form NOA1(SS) rather than SSCS1.

March 2024

Universal credit was brought in to replace 6 means-tested benefits. The part of Universal credit that replaces Employment Support Allowance (ESA) is called the limited capability for work element.  Whether or not you are entitled is worked out in exactly the same way as ESA –  this is called the Work Capability Assessment.

The Work Capability Assessment for each benefit uses the exact same activities, descriptors and points system. The appeal process is also exactly the same. This is why we have written this guide and our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool that covers them both.

 The main difference is that they called the two groups in each benefit by different names.

How the benefit is assessed?

Whether or not you are entitled to ESA or Universal Credit on the basis of being unable to work is based on how your illness or impairment affects you, and what very specific things you are unable to do without assistance. 

Whether or not you are found capable of work is decided using a points system. For example, if you cannot usually stay standing or sitting (or a combination of the two) at a desk for more than an hour because it makes you too tired or it hurts, you get 6 points.  If you cannot usually go to even a familiar place on your own, you get 9 points, etc. You can see all the activities, descriptors and points on our quick work capability assessment guide or the guidance on how to give good evidence at the end of this guide. 

You only score one set of points from each activity (for example, getting about), so use the one that you meet that gives you the most points. In order to be found unable to work (and therefore receive ESA or Universal Credit on that basis) you need to score at least 15 points in total. Or there needs to be a ‘substantial risk’ to you or others if you were found not to have limited capability for work (see box).

To be able to do an activity you need to be able to do it repeatedly, reliably, and safely and it should not cause you pain. So, if you can sometimes raise your arm to your head, but could not do it again and again, or if doing it hurts you, the law would see you as not being able to raise your arm to your head. Similarly, if you can move from one seat to another without help, but you sometimes fall and hurt yourself and cannot get back up, you should select the descriptor that says you cannot do it – because you cannot do it safely.

For people whose conditions are worse on some days than others, you meet the descriptor that describes what you can do for the majority of the time. So, if you can sometimes cope with a planned change, but for the majority of the time would not  be able to manage it, you cannot cope with a planned change.

If you get 15 points on any one indicator (except if you choose 8a, 9b, 10a and 15a - in activities 'Finding your way and being safe', 'Extensive incontinence', 'Consciousness during waking moment', and 'Getting about'), you will be put into the support group in ESA or the limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) group in Universal Credit. If you are in these groups, you get extra money to support your higher needs, and you don’t need to do ‘work-related activity’ (meet regularly with an adviser at the Jobcentre, go to occasional training courses, and do various tasks that the DWP say will make you better able to get a job later). If you are entitled to New-Style ESA (because you have paid enough NI contributions) you can also receive it for more than a year.

If you haven’t checked what rate you should be getting yet, use our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool. It will help you work out if the DWP has made the right decision. If they haven’t, the tool helps you to write a really good letter that asks for a mandatory reconsideration (if you need to do that before you can appeal) and sets out your case.

Following a court case in July 2020, some ESA claimants can appeal straight away and no longer have to ask for a mandatory reconsideration first. This is important because once you have lodged an appeal, you can ask ESA to pay you on the assessment rate while you are waiting for the hearing.

You can go straight to appeal if this is the first time you claimed ESA and you were found not to have limited capability for work (you got no award), or if you were found not to have limited capability for work this time and the last time you claimed ESA you did receive an award.

If you claimed Universal Credit, you can receive Universal Credit while you wait for the reconsideration and appeal on the basis of looking for work. (Don’t worry, it won’t mean you can’t argue that you are not able to work in the appeal). However, you will need to follow the rules in your claimant commitment about looking for work in order to keep receiving the benefit. Make sure your work coach understands how your illness or disability affects you, and that you are challenging the decision that found you capable of work, and that your claimant commitment reflects your difficulties.

Find out more about getting other benefits while you wait for a decision on your reconsideration on the Citizens Advice website.

“They said I was well enough to work”

Some people in this situation feel like they should just give up, others feel absolutely furious. The DWP often don’t apply the criteria correctly. Challenging the decision can take a long time, but everybody should get what the law says they are entitled to. Remember you have nothing to lose.

Most people in this situation have to start by asking for a mandatory reconsideration, but if you applied for ESA (rather than the limited capability for work element of Universal Credit) and it was either the first time you had claimed, or when you last claimed ESA you received an award, you can go straight to appeal. This is very useful as it means you can get the assessment rate of ESA while you wait for your appeal hearing and it means that if you win your appeal you will be able to stay on ESA rather than move to Universal Credit (which for most people pays a lower amount). See How to ask the DWP to look again at their decision for more details.

If you claimed Universal Credit or have claimed ESA before and the last time you were not given an award (and either you didn’t challenge it or you did not manage to get the decision changed) then you do need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration first.  Start by using our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool.

 “They have put me in the wrong group! I should be in the limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) group, but they’ve put me in the limited capability for work (LCW) group”

This is the same as being put in the work-related activity group, rather than the support group in ESA. Some people in this situation feel like they should just be happy they got something. Others are concerned that if they ask for the decision to be looked at again, they might lose their award. This is technically true, but if the DWP have recognised you are entitled to at least 15 points, you are unlikely to lose your award completely. Try not to worry. If you are concerned, try to see an adviser.

Remember, everybody should get what the law says they are entitled to, and the DWP often don’t apply the criteria correctly.  Use our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool to check what award you think you should have got. If it’s not the same as you were awarded, use our tool to ask the DWP to look again at the decision. If they don’t change their decision, you should appeal.  

“I was on New-Style ESA in the support group until I was reassessed. I got moved to the work-related activity group and now I don’t get anything”

This is because you can only get New Style ESA for one year if you are in the work-related activity group. If you were in the support group you could stay on New Style ESA as long as necessary. Use our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool to check what award you think you should have got. If you might still be entitled to be in the support group, use our tool to request a mandatory reconsideration. If they don’t change their decision you should appeal.  

“My condition has got worse since I was assessed”

If your illness or impairment has got worse since the date of your decision, it cannot be taken into account in an appeal. Instead, if you now meet higher scoring descriptors you should make a new claim or ask for your current claim to be reassessed.

“My claim was closed because they say I didn’t send back the questionnaire on time”

You should ask for a mandatory reconsideration of the decision to close your claim and explain what happened. Maybe you did send the form back but it went missing, or maybe you failed to send the form back but you had a good reason. If the reason for your difficulties returning the form is connected to your condition (for example, if you were in hospital, if you are unable to deal with your post without help, or if you were too anxious or distressed to complete the form) you have a very good case for them to reinstate your claim.

If you don’t think you ever received the form, bear in mind the DWP will have evidence of having posted it to you. So, you will need to explain either that you have had difficulties in general with post not being delivered to your address, or that you didn’t know the form had arrived because you need help to manage your post, and you didn’t receive that help. Use our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool to write the letter.

You should ask for mandatory reconsideration of the decision to close your claim and explain why you failed to go to the assessment. If the reason for your difficulties is connected to your condition (for example, you were unwell that day, you didn’t open the letter about the assessment because you need help to manage your post, or were too anxious to cope) you have a very good case for them to reinstate your claim. 

Similarly, if you had asked for a home assessment and were waiting to hear back from the DWP about whether that was possible, you could argue that was a good reason not to go to the assessment at an assessment centre. Use our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool to write the letter. 

For many people, it is not easy to find advice and help with your benefits.  You should expect that you will have to do most of the work yourself (or with help from your friends or carers). Don’t worry, this guide will show you what to do, and how to do it.

But if you can get advice to help you work out what rate you should be getting, it will be really helpful. Obviously if you do find someone who offers to help you further, take it.

Following COVID, many services are offering appointments via telephone, email, or videochat, as well as face-to-face.

Use Advice Local to find the best options near you. Enter your postcode and select ‘welfare benefits’ from the drop down menu and search.  This will tell you about any Citizen’s Advice, law centres, or independent advice agencies in your county. (Beware - it misses out ones in your area but in another county or borough. If you live near a county border, definitely check you there isn’t a closer option by following the advice below).

If that doesn’t bring up a service near to you, check with Citizens Advice if there is an office that helps with benefits problems. Many now offer advice over the telephone.

Check if your local council has a welfare rights service. If you didn’t find their details in Advice Local search, phone the council and ask for ‘welfare rights’, or check the website.

Check if there is a Law Centre near you.

See if Disability Law Service can help you.

There are sometimes services that you can access through your GP, social worker, or community centre. There's no harm in asking - so call your GP, your social worker, or community centre if you have one, and ask if there is a service for you.

Some charities provide advice services for particular groups - for example, Maggie's provides advice to people living with cancer. Check if there is a charity that provides benefits advice to people with your illness or impairment.  If they provide information on their website about appealing or claiming ESA (or the limited capability for work element of Universal Credit) it may also be very useful as it will usually show how people with similar symptoms to yours have proved their entitlement. (If they don’t have a guide to appealing – ask them to link to this one).

If you have nowhere else to turn, try your MPs caseworker. These are not usually expert benefits advisers but they will often be familiar with the problem and might well be able to help you. (You could point them towards this guide).

Step 1 - You get a letter from the DWP telling you their decision on your claim. Use our WCA Mandatory Reconsideration tool to ask for a mandatory reconsideration if:

●        your claim has been closed because they say you didn’t send back the ESA50 questionnaire in time.

●        your claim has been closed because you didn’t go to the assessment.

●        you claimed Universal Credit and you have been found not to have limited capability for work, or think you have been given the wrong award.

●        you claimed Employment Support Allowance and you have been found not to have limited capability for work for the second time in a row, or you think you have been put in the wrong group.

You are supposed to ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date at the top of the letter to ask for a mandatory reconsideration, although you can ask later. Our mandatory reconsideration letter tool will show you how and where to provide an explanation of the delay. A mandatory reconsideration is where the DWP look at the decision again.  The decision letter from the DWP will tell you if you must do this before you appeal. 

If you claimed ESA for the first time and you were given no award (you have been found not to have limited capability for work), or you have been given no award for the first time when you have received an award of ESA before (whether awarded by DWP or appeal panel), then you do not need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration and should appeal straight away. Your decision letter from the DWP will confirm that you can appeal without asking for a mandatory reconsideration. Jump to step 4.

Step 2 - Ask for the DWP to look again at their decision. This is called a mandatory reconsideration. Use our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool to check what award you should have got and write a really good letter to the DWP that sets out your case. 

 The DWP will look at your questionnaire again, the assessment report, and any other evidence you may have sent in (like a letter from your doctor or consultant) to see if they will change the decision.

Step 3 – The DWP will send you two copies of their reconsideration decision. It should say at the top of the letter “Mandatory Reconsideration Notice”. You need these if you wish to appeal. If their decision has been changed and you are happy with it, you can stop here. But if it hasn’t (and for most people, it hasn’t), don’t be put off.  You have 1 month to ask for an appeal but you can also ask later.   (If one month has already past, ask anyway. See If one month has already past).

Step 4 – Ask for an appeal. You can ask for one online or using the SSCS1 form.  If you have used our mandatory reconsideration tool, you can copy and paste wording from the letter generated to help you make your case.

If you did not need to have a mandatory reconsideration, or did not use our tool, see our advice as to what wording to use to ask for an appeal on How to ask for an appeal below.

Step 5 – The DWP will send both you and the HMCTS a bundle of documents called the ‘appeal papers’ – this is an explanation of why they gave you the award that they did. Don’t be put off by the size of it. Read through this bundle and make a note of anything which you disagree with, especially in the medical assessor’s report about you. In addition, make a note of anything important relating to your impairment or illness which has not been included.

Sometimes after you have appealed, the DWP phone you up and offer you a new award because they recognise that you will win your appeal. Accept their offer if you believe it is what you are entitled to. If it is lower than the award you were hoping for, accept the award and then appeal that decision (without asking for a mandatory reconsideration). They should explain that you can do this. If they didn’t explain that you could appeal this new decision or you felt they were trying to put you under pressure to accept, please tell us via our survey so that we can hold them to account. 

Step 6 - You need to prepare for your appeal and, if you can, send HMCTS more information about your difficulties. See What to prepare before the Hearing for details.

Step 7 - You will be told the date of the hearing. If you have any further evidence about your difficulties that you haven’t yet sent to the tribunal, send it now. Have a copy with you on the day.

Step 8 - Your appeal will be heard by an independent panel, called a Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. They will make a new decision. See page What will happen at the hearing?   and  What to do on the day.

If you were successful, you will usually receive your money in 4-6 weeks.

If your claim was closed because the DWP don't think you sent back your form or went to your assessment, you need to ask the DWP to look again at their decision (called a ‘mandatory reconsideration’) within one month of the date on the letter they sent to tell you of their decision.  If one month has already past, don’t worry. See If one month has already past.

You can ask for a mandatory reconsideration over the phone, by leaving a note on your Universal Credit journal or using form CRMR1, but we suggest you use our free Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool as research evidence suggests it may double your chances fo getting the decision changed at this stage. Only ask for a mandatory reconsideration over the phone if you are about to miss the one-month time-limit. If you do this, follow up your request in writing. There is a form you can use but we suggest that you write a letter using our free Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool.

If you have any more evidence that you think will help (for example, a letter from your doctor, social worker, support worker, or carer, or any other recent reports you have had) send that too.  If you need a few weeks to get more evidence, you need to decide if it is worth waiting. Many advisers say it is not, as it is better not to delay the mandatory reconsideration, as only about 10% of these types of decisions are changed at this stage. Instead, as you will probably need to appeal, get the evidence ready to send with the appeal form. 

What next?

Hopefully you will get a response within 8 weeks. However, there is no deadline by which the DWP need to respond to mandatory reconsideration requests, and it is not unheard of for people to wait up to 6 months.

If you have not heard back after 8 weeks, you should email the Jobcentre plus service leader for your area. In your email include your name, NI number and the date you submitted your mandatory reconsideration request. Explain that you wish to complain about the length of time the reconsideration has taken as the delay is causing you severe hardship. And then tell them about some of the impacts the delay is having on you, for example, if it means you don’t have enough money to feed yourself properly or go to medical appointments, or if the stress of not having enough money to live on is worsening your mental health. 

Another option is to complain to your MP, who will in turn complain to the Jobcentre plus service manager. You can find your MP and email them from They work for you.

When you get an answer

If they have changed their minds, congratulations! Your award will be backdated to the date you claimed. Any amount above the amount you received (either from ESA, or Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, or Universal Credit) will be backdated.

If they didn't change their decision, or they did but still didn't give you the amount you think you are entitled to, you should appeal. You need to ask an appeal within one month of the date at the top of the mandatory reconsideration notice.

Don’t be downhearted if they didn’t change their minds - they often don’t, even where it appears to be very clear that they are wrong. Only about 10% of decisions are changed at this stage, but most are changed when you go to appeal. Just keep going.

If one month has already passed, you have  technically missed the time-limit to ask for a mandatory reconsideration. You can still ask but they don’t have to accept it. They usually do however if you have good reason.

It will help a great deal if you can explain that the delay was unavoidable or a result of your illness or disability. For example, if you were unable to deal with it until now because you need help to deal with your post, you have depression, you get confused, or you were very unwell. Longer delays will need better explanations.  

Similarly, if you miss the one-month time-limit to appeal, you can ask for an appeal anyway. You will need to explain your reasons for missing the time-limit. It will be helpful if you can explain that the delay was a result of your impairment, illness or disability (see above for examples). Other good reasons might be that you did not receive the mandatory reconsideration notice safely, or were away from home when it was delivered.

 A judge will then decide whether to allow the appeal despite its lateness. The DWP then has one month to object to your reasons for missing the time-limit.  If they do not object, your appeal continues. If they do object, a Judge makes the decision of whether or not to accept your late appeal. 

Your appeal is unlikely to be accepted if 13 months have passed since you were sent the decision (appeals after 13 months only happen in specific circumstances, usually when the DWP made an error in the original decision).

You can ask for an appeal online or you can use a paper form.  

1)      Explains what you disagree with and why

 If you used our Mandatory Reconsideration Request Tool to produce a letter, go to your email or your advicenow account where it is saved. Look at your decision letter. For the first activity that they didn’t award you the correct amount of points for, tell them what it is that you don’t agree with (for example, that they said you can cope with a minor unplanned change, when you cannot). And then you can copy and paste the wording from your mandatory reconsideration request letter that explains the difficulties you have with that activity (for example, I cannot cope with minor unplanned changes as I get very stressed and feel that I cannot cope. If the bus stop is closed for example, I will get upset and need to go home.) (For less confident computer users, you do that by highlighting the text you wish to copy and pressing ctrl and C at the same time. Then go to where you want the text to appear and press ctrl and V at the same time).

Repeat this for each of the activities you don’t think you have received the correct amount of points for.

If you haven’t used our tool, look at your decision notice and the list of activities and descriptors on How to write useful evidence. Add each activity you don’t think you have scored the right number of points for, and explain all of the difficulties that you have with that activity and what help you need (remember it doesn’t matter that you don’t get any help).

Remember to tell them ways in which not being entitled to the benefit or not being put in the right group would put you at substantial risk of harm (see Things to understand for a reminder of the ‘substantial risk’ rules).

2)       If your appeal isn’t within the time limit

You should appeal anyway but explain why the delay was unavoidable or a result of your  disability (for example, if you were unable to deal with it until now because you need help to deal with your post, or you have been particularly unwell).

3)      Choose to go to a hearing.

You will be asked whether you want to attend a hearing or whether you want the case to be decided on the papers alone. Almost everybody wants to choose the paper hearing because it seems less scary. However, you are much more likely to win if you have a chance to speak to them and they can ask you questions. Don’t worry, it won’t be nearly as frightening as you might think. These days many hearings are happening via video or telephone – so you may not have to actually ‘go’ anywhere.

What next?

The HMCTS will send a copy of your appeal to the DWP and ask them to explain how they came to their decision. The DWP must do this within 28 days, although they can ask for an extension. You will receive a copy of their response in your appeal bundle.  Don’t be put off by the size of it. It is often around 80-150 pages. Keep it safe. You will need it to prepare for your hearing.

You should start preparing now.  The next section explains everything you need to do.

There are a lot of things for you to do over the next few months. So it is important to start preparing as soon as you can. Some things can take a long time.

Get advice

If you have not already tried to get advice, do so now (See How to find an adviser). Some advisers may be able to help do some of this preparation for you. If you are lucky enough to find someone who can help with the preparation, make sure you are clear which things they are going to do for you, and which you need to do yourself. 

Do not wait until you know the date of the tribunal, as most advice centres have a long waiting list.

When will the hearing be?

How long it takes for the hearing to be scheduled varies from 5 to 12 months, depending on where you are in the country. Usually you will not get told the date of the hearing until 2-3 weeks before (you should be given at least 14 days notice unless you agreed to be given less on the form) so it’s important to start getting ready as soon as you can.

It is useful to know how long you have to prepare for your appeal. You can phone the tribunal centre dealing with your appeal and ask them how long you are likely to be waiting for a date for the hearing.

Getting help

If you are not getting any professional help to prepare for the hearing, you might want to ask somebody else to help you. You may not need any help, but it might stop it from feeling too stressful. It might be particularly useful if you are not very good with paperwork or deadlines.

If you do think it might be useful, think about who you could ask - do you have a family member, friend, neighbour, or someone who helps you who is good with paperwork and organising things?

The papers from the DWP

Look at the big pack of papers that you were sent by the DWP explaining why they made the decision they did. Many people get very confused by the inclusion of relevant test cases at the beginning. Don’t let them put you off.  If you don’t have time to become an expert on all the legal ins and outs of work capability assessment decisions, ignore these.

The most important part is the report from the medical assessment. Read through it and look for anything you don't agree with.

• Did the assessor ask you the right questions and correctly record your answers?
• Are there things in there that didn’t happen or don’t reflect your conversation?
• If you had the assessment over the phone, did the assessor grasp the extent of your difficulties?
•  If your health condition or disability is better or worse on different days, did the assessor understand that?

Make a note of all the things that are wrong. If you can, say why they are wrong. You can include this in your statement to the tribunal.

Getting evidence

For most people, the thing that is of most help is written evidence from their doctor or other professionals. If you have a social worker, community psychiatric nurse, occupational therapist, support worker, or any other professional, evidence from them will be very useful too.

The most useful evidence will explain how your illness or disability affects you, and the help you need (paying particular attention to the descriptors that you meet).  This is unusual and really complicated, so your doctor/social worker or other professional may not understand that.

Look at How to write useful evidence for a Work Capability Assessment appeal. This is a guide for your doctor, social worker, or anybody else writing evidence for you. Mark the particular activities and descriptors you believe you meet on this page, and write the date of the DWP decision in the box. When you ask them for evidence to support your appeal, give them these pages and ask for them to comment on those specifically.  It will help them to write evidence that will be really helpful to you.

The best evidence will come from people who know you well and who understand your situation. If your GP does not know you well, you should still ask him or her for evidence, but try to get evidence from other professionals too. This could be your social worker or community psychiatric nurse, a paid support worker, a personal assistant, your occupational therapist, somebody who works at a day centre you go to, support staff at your school or college, or somebody else. You could also get evidence from a carer, friend or relative who helps you a lot.

Paying for medical evidence

GP's and other medical professionals are allowed to charge for evidence and many do. However, if they know you cannot afford it they are often willing to do it for free.

If your doctor suggests that he or she will charge you, tell them that it doesn’t need to be terribly long, and that it could be hand-written if this is quicker. Reassure them that it will only take the time of an appointment. Use How to write useful evidence for a Work Capability Assessment appeal and mark which descriptors you meet. Ask them to read it, so that they are sure of what you need from them. 

If they insist on charging you,  instead ask them for the last two years of your medical records. They will give you this for free and it may contain some useful evidence.

Evidence from your support worker, personal assistant, carer or anybody that helps you

If there is somebody who helps you a lot (this might be somebody you pay, or who helps you at college or work, or it might be your partner, a family member, or a friend), they may be able to write some very useful evidence too. Ask them to write a letter to the tribunal panel explaining what help they give you and how often. Show them the section for doctors and other professionals on How to write useful evidence for a Work Capability Assessment appeal - it will help them to remember everything.

It can be very useful for this person to come to the hearing with you - so that the panel can ask them questions. They may be asked to wait outside until their evidence is needed - so you may need to be prepared to go in alone at first.

Diary

You should think about keeping a diary of the difficulties and help you need each day.  It will help the tribunal panel to get a proper understanding of your situation. It is particularly helpful if your illness or disability is not the same every day. It also needs to reflect how you were affected at the time of the decision about your benefit, so is of most use if your health has not got worse since then.

Keep a diary for a week (or if you have a condition which fluctuates, a longer period will be helpful). It can be very brief. For example - 'Monday – Very confused today. Marie needed to remind and prompt me to do simple everyday tasks, and not to get distracted. We went to the shops and I needed help to cross the road safely’.  Include everything that is connected to the activities and descriptors that entitlement to these benefits are based on (see How to write useful evidence for a Work Capability Assessment appeal for the list).

If you get help from somebody and find this sort of thing hard, you could ask them to keep a diary of the help they have given you instead (as an alternative to the letter - see above).

Be realistic

Be realistic about what you want to happen. There is no point going to the tribunal hearing hoping to get put into the support group if you don’t meet any of the required indicators. If you have seen or spoken to an adviser - did they tell you what group they thought you should be in? Have you used our Work Capability Assessment Mandatory Reconsideration Tool to check what points you should get, by your own assessment?

What to do with the evidence

Read all the evidence through - does it reflect your difficulties accurately? If it doesn't, you don't have to send it to the panel. If you don't think the evidence is useful it may be worth going back to the person who wrote it and discussing it with them. Looking again at our guidance on How to write useful evidence for a Work Capability Assessment appeal, is there anything they can add to make it more useful?

If you have got useful evidence, upload a photo of it using the Manage your appeal service or photocopy it and send it into the HM Courts and Tribunal Service before your hearing. Send it as soon as you can and always have a copy with you on the day. Sending the evidence in advance is useful because it maximises the chance of the DWP changing the decision in your favour.

If your hearing is in-person, take your copies with you and ask the clerk or panel to confirm that they have received them.

Use our Tribunal Submission Tool or write a statement

You should think about either using our new Tribunal Submission Tool or writing a statement for the tribunal, or getting a friend to help you.

Either one can be very useful as they set out all your points, which means that you don't have to remember everything to say on the day. They also give the panel time to think about what you have said before they meet you.

You should do whichever one you feel more comfortable with. The WCA Tribunal Submission Tool works in a similar way to the Mandatory Reconsideration Tool we talked about earlier in this guide. It asks you simple questions about how your health impacts your daily activity and details about your claim, and then it writes quite a formal submission to give to the tribunal. This submission sets out your case the way a benefits adviser would if you had one.

If you find using forms on the computer hard, you might prefer to just write a simple statement. For more advice on how to write a statement and what to put in it, see How to write a statement below. You can also read Mikaela’s statement and see what she put in hers.

How will you attend the hearing?

If it is a video hearing, check you have what you need for it to go smoothly. HMCTS have made a helpful video.

If your hearing is in person, the letter you receive about the hearing will usually give you details of public transport links and parking. At most venues, you can book an accessible parking spot if you phone them in advance.

Many hearings happen over video now. However, some are still face-to-face. Whatever kind of hearing you have you should prepare in a similar way.

HMCTS have made a helpful video to help you understand what a video hearing will be like. 

Attending a hearing isn’t like going to court. You can go alone or take a friend or family member with you for moral support.

The hearing itself will usually last about 40 minutes.

The panel will usually be made up of two people - a judge and a medical expert, usually a doctor. The doctor does not work for the government or the DWP. The panel should introduce themselves and explain what will happen.

Remember the panel are completely separate from the DWP. They are here to see that you get the benefit if you can show you are entitled to it.

Usually the members of the panel will be nice and easy to talk to, and will just want to get a full picture of your illness or disability and the help you need. Try to answer their questions fully.

The DWP have a right to send somebody to your appeal to explain why they made their decision and they do this sometimes. Don't worry about this though. If they send someone, they are nice and non-confrontational. It will not be the person that made the original decision about your claim.

Remember it is YOUR appeal. If you get upset, you can ask for a short break. If you are in discomfort from sitting in the chair after a while, you can simply get up and walk around the room a bit.

In the unlikely event that the panel are considering a reduction of your existing award (for example because you appealed the decision not to put you in the support group, and the panel feel that you may not be entitled to any award at all), the judge will give you warning and ask if you want a few minutes to consider your options. This is very rare. But if it does happen to you, ask for the hearing to be stopped and explain that you wish to withdraw the appeal. If you do this, the Tribunal is very unlikely to take away the benefit you get at the moment.

At the end of the hearing

The panel will usually make the decision that day. This usually takes between 10-20 minutes. They will give you a written outline of their decision as well.

Sometimes the panel will not be able to make a decision quickly. If this happens, they will post it to you instead. It should arrive within a week. If they are not able to make a decision quickly, it does not mean that you have not been successful with your appeal.

If the hearing has been scheduled for a time you cannot go

Email or call the tribunal centre and ask for another date as soon as you can. Don't put it off or just do nothing about it - they are usually extremely helpful. You may have to explain why you can't go and you should have a very good reason, like a hospital appointment.If you leave it until the last minute or don’t give a good reason, they may not change the day and the appeal might happen whether you are there or not. Don’t delay. If they refuse to change the date, you should do everything you can to move your other appointment.

Whether you have a video hearing or face-to-face hearing these tips will help you get the right award, and stop it from becoming too stressful.

• Make sure you log on or arrive at the tribunal centre in plenty of time.

• If you think it might help, ask a friend or family member to be with you for emotional support. They might also be able to help by reminding you of things you have forgotten. If you do ask a friend, show them the section For friends or relatives.

• Don't dress up or make a big effort with your appearance. It is important that the panel see you as you are on a normal day. Otherwise, they might get the impression that you don't need help, even if you do.
• The panel may be running late and so you might have to wait. If you have made any notes of what you want to say, use this time to go over them.
• Be aware that the tribunal will take into account what they see you do from the momen you are visible. For example, if you have said you can’t sit still for long, or have great difficulty walking, they might watch how you are.  If you are having a good day, and your illness or disability is normally worse, make sure you tell them.
• If you had asked for any help with communication or translation and it is not available, insist on having the hearing another day.

• If you don't understand a question, ask them to repeat it or put it another way. If you still don’t understand, tell them that. Don’t agree to anything you don’t understand to be polite.
• If they say something that isn’t right, make it clear that it is not true. For example, if they say “You don’t have much trouble with sitting do you?” make it clear if you do have trouble with sitting for more than an hour.
• If you have written a statement, ask if they have had a chance to read it. If they have, you won’t need to worry about covering everything in the discussion. If they haven’t, they will usually pause for a moment while they read it.
• Don't worry about using the 'right' language or ‘buzz words’. It is much better to use your own words. If you think they haven't understood something you have said, say it again in a different way.
• They usually ask whether your condition has changed since the decision.  Remember that you need to prove that the DWP made the wrong decision at the time, so it is unhelpful to dwell too much on how your condition has got worse. It is better to emphasise where your difficulties have remained broadly the same. 
• They will often ask you about if you had any problems this morning. If somebody has helped you (perhaps by physically helping you to get up, or by prompting and encouraging you and keeping you calm so that you can manage the hearing) be sure to tell the panel. Tell them if you needed help to read or understand the instructions to log on to the video hearing or how to get to the tribunal centre.
• Don't make light of your illness or disability. Be as frank about your condition as you can be. 
• Try to make sure you don’t exaggerate the problems that you have either. If you do, the panel might not believe you when you are not exaggerating.
• Try to make sure that you explain how you meet the specific descriptors. For example, if they ask if you manage when things don’t go according to plan, don’t just say yes or no. Spell out what difficulties you have and give examples of when you have not coped well when something unexpected happened and what happened as a result.
• If you find you haven't said everything you want to say because they haven't asked the right question - tell them anyway. It is important that you say everything (unless you wrote a statement or submission, in which case you don’t have to worry about this). A clever tactic is to make notes about what you want to tell them (for example, take a list of everything you think you should have been given points for and why you meet those descriptors) and tick them off as you say them. Make sure that they are all ticked off before you leave. If you have taken somebody with you for moral support - this is a very useful thing for them to do - they can remind you to say
  anything you might have forgotten.
• If how your illness or impairment affects you changes and you need different amounts of help on different days, you will need to make this clear. It is best if you can say roughly how often you need help with each thing, rather than saying 'sometimes'. The rules say that the tribunal must make their decision based on how you are on the majority of days.
• Many people find they get very emotional at the hearing. It doesn't matter if you get upset. It won't make any difference to your chances. Remember - you can ask for a break to compose yourself.

If someone has asked you to go with them to the hearing to give them support, there are several things that you could do that are very useful.

• Before the hearing, sit down with your friend and write a list of all the ways in which they meet the activities and descriptors that their case is based on. Have it with you on the day and tick them off as they are said. If, at the end of the hearing, there are still things that haven't been said - you can remind them.
• You cannot answer questions on your friend's behalf. If you realise that your friend has left bits out when answering a question - try to remind them, rather than say it for them - or make a note as you will usually be asked at the end if there is anything you want to add. However, if your friend is finding it difficult or becoming very emotional you can ask the judge if you can answer the question yourself 
• If they get upset or stressed you can try to calm them down. If this doesn't work, ask them if they want a short break.
• Read the sections about the hearing and what to do on the day. This will help you to know what will happen so that you can help your friend.

The tribunal panel will tell the DWP their decision and you will get an official notice of the decision.

If you were successful, the DWP will work out how much they owe you. You will start receiving the new amount every month, and a sum covering any amount they owe you while you waited for the appeal.  You will usually receive your money in about 4 - 6 weeks.

If you weren't successful, you will be sent a leaflet to explain your options. Sometimes you might be able to appeal to the Upper Tribunal. This is like a higher court. However, this can only be done if the panel did something wrong with the law. It is very complicated, and very few people can do this without an experienced adviser. If you want to look into this possibility, you need to move quickly - you will need to ask for a copy of the tribunal’s statement of reasons within one month. You cannot appeal to the Upper Tribunal without the Statement of Reasons. See How to find an adviser.

If you don’t believe you are well enough to work (or manage the jobseeking tasks you need to do to get JSA or Universal Credit on the basis that you are looking for a job) you may be able to try again for the limited capability for work element by submitting a new fit note from your doctor. If you have recent NI contributions because you have been working) you could make a new claim for New Style ESA. (But you won’t get the assessment rate while you are waiting for a Work Capability Assessment again, unless you can show that your condition has got significantly worse, or that you have a new condition). 

The DWP also has the right to appeal to the Upper Tribunal if they think the tribunal panel did something wrong. This rarely happens. If it does happen, they will write and tell you.

Adviser - This is a benefit expert who can give you advice about your claim. They may also be able to help you prepare for the hearing or even represent you.

 Appeal -This means a panel of two experts who do not work for the DWP will look at your claim and see if the right decision was made. If they think the wrong decision was made, they will change it.

Carer - This is a person who helps you often, like every day or every week. It might be somebody you pay, or might be your partner, a family member, or a friend or neighbour. The help they give you might be physical help (for example to get in the bath or up the stairs), they might help you by getting your shopping because you can’t get to the shops by yourself, or they might help you by encouraging and prompting you to do things, or supervising you to make sure you are safe.   

Clerk to the Tribunal - This is the person who organises the hearing and deals with the paperwork and admin.

Department for Work and Pension (DWP) - This is the government department that deals with most benefits, including Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit. They also run Jobcentres and the office which arranges the face to face assessments.

Descriptors - These are the descriptions of very specific difficulties on which entitlement to ESA or Universal Credit on the basis of limited capability for work is based. Each descriptor that applies to you gives you points. If you receive 15 or more points, you are entitled to ESA. If you receive more than 15 points on one descriptor (except in activities 8, 10 and 15 - ‘Finding your way and being safe’, ‘Consciousness during waking moments’, and ‘Getting about’) you will be put in the support group (for ESA) or limited capability for work and work-related activity group (for Universal Credit) and are entitled to a higher rate.

First-tier Tribunal - This is another name for the panel of experts who hear appeals. Benefit appeals are heard by the Social Security and Child Support First-tier tribunal.  

HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS)-       This is the government department that organises the tribunal panel and the hearing.

 Hearing - This is when your appeal is looked at by the Tribunal. You can either have a hearing in person (also called an ‘oral hearing’) when you  speak to the Tribunal, either via video or face to face. Or you can have a written hearing (also called a ‘paper hearing’) when the tribunal just look at the papers again on their own. We strongly advise you attend the hearing  (online or in person). You have a much better chance of success if you do.

Limited capability for work (LCW) - This is the group that you are put in if you claim Universal Credit and the DWP accept that your condition limits your ability to work now, but that you will be able to return to some form of work in the future and they want you to do some things to prepare for this. It is the equivalent of the work-related activity group in ESA. You have to get 15 points on the work capability assessment , or if there would be a ‘substantial risk’ (see Things to understand) if you were not, to be put in this group and you have to do work-related activity to continue receiving the benefit.  

Limited capability for work and work-related activity (LCWRA) - This is the group you are put in if the DWP or the tribunal agree that you get 15 points on any one indicator (except in activities 8, 10 and 15 - ‘Finding your way and being safe’, ‘Consciousness during waking moments’, and ‘Getting about’) , or if there would be a ‘substantial risk’ to yourself or others if you were not put in this group (see Things to understand). It is the Universal Credit version of the support group in ESA.  If you are in this group you get extra money to support your higher needs, and you don’t need to do ‘work-related activity’ to continue receiving the benefit.

Limited capability for work element - This is the part of Universal Credit that replaces income-based Employment Support Allowance. Eventually everyone is going to be moved off income-based Employment Support Allowance and on to Universal Credit. 

Manage your appeal - A new service from HMCTS that enables people to manage their appeal online, keeping track of progress, submitting further evidence (including video and audio), and a statement. See What to prepare before the hearing for details of how to use it.

Mandatory Reconsideration - This means the DWP will look at their decision again. Most people must ask for a mandatory reconsideration before you can appeal a decision. See  How to ask the DWP to look again at their decision People who claimed ESA for the first time  and were found to not have limited capability to work, or claimed ESA and were found to not have limited capability to work for the first time since they did get an award, don’t need to ask for a reconsideration and can jump straight to the appeal stage.  If you don’t need to ask for a mandatory reconsideration it will say so on your decision letter from the DWP. Use our WCA MR Tool to ask for a reconsideration.

Representative - This is an expert in benefits who might help you prepare for the hearing, gather evidence for the appeal, write to the tribunal and may be able to will come with you to help you state your case.

Social Security and Child Support Tribunal - Often shorted to SSCS tribunal. This is the name for the panel of experts who do not work for the DWP who will hear your appeal to see if the DWP made the right decision and change it if it was unfair.

SSCS1 - This is the form you use to ask for an appeal. You can also do it online. See How to ask for an appeal for advice on how to fill it in.

Submit your appeal - This is the HM Courts and Tribunal Service that allows you to lodge your appeal online. 

Supersession - This means having your claim looked at again because your illness or disability has worsened since the date of the decision.

Support group - This is the group you are put in if you claim ESA and the DWP or the tribunal agree that you get 15 points on any one indicator (except in activities 8, 10 and 15 - ‘Finding your way and being safe’, ‘Consciousness during waking moments’, and ‘Getting about’)  or if there would be a ‘substantial risk’to yourself or others if you were not put in this group (see Things to understand). It is the ESA equivalent of limited capability for work and work-related activity in Universal Credit.  If you are in this group you get extra money to support your higher needs, and you don’t need to do ‘work-related activity’ to continue receiving the benefit. If you are entitled to contribution-based or New Style ESA (because you have paid enough NI contributions) you can also receive it as long as you meet the requirements for the benefit, rather than a year. 

Tribunal Judge - This is the legally qualified member of the panel who will make a decision on your case. He or she will usually welcome you to the hearing.  If the members of the panel do not agree what should happen on your case, the Judge gets the deciding vote. He or she will be wearing ordinary clothes and will not have a judge’s wig on.

Upper Tribunal - This is like a higher court. If you weren't successful in your appeal, you might be able to appeal to the Upper Tribunal, but you can only do this if the panel made a mistake with the law.

Work Capability Assessment - This is the process by which the DWP assess whether you have limited capability to work or limited capability for work-related activity, and are therefore entitled to Employment Support Allowance or the limited capability for work element of Universal Credit. It consists of a form assessment which might be face- to- face, or via video or telephone.

Work-related activity group - This is the group that you are put in if you claim ESA and the DWP accept that your condition limits your ability to work now, but that there are things you can do to improve this. It is the equivalent of the limited capability for work group in Universal Credit. You have to get 15 points on the Work Capability Assessment to be put in this group, or if there would be a ‘substantial risk’ to yourself or others if you were not put in this group (see Things to understand). and you have to do work-related activity to continue receiving the benefit. 

Work-related activity - These are activities that the DWP believe will help you  prepare for  a job in the future. If you are in either the limited capability for work (LCW) group on Universal Credit or the Work-related activity group on ESA you need to do the work-related activity to continue receiving the benefit. Work-related activity may include meeting  with your job coach at the Jobcentre, going to occasional training courses, or joining a support group. 

Find the appeal form or ask for an appeal online

You can find both the online system for asking for an appeal and the latest form to use if you wish to do it by hand/post at Appeal a benefit decision.

Speak to the DWP

ESA Enquiry Line

Telephone: 0800 169 0310
Textphone: 0800 169 0314
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Universal Credit 

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Many people have reported a very frustrating experience when phoning the Universal Credit helpline as the call centre staff don’t seem to be trained very well.  It might be better to contact via the Universal Credit journal. If you select the "payments " option on the journal message filter the message will go to the case manager who will be better placed to help you. 

Find further information about appeals

GOV.UK

Benefit appeals come under the section known as the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. You can find details about how to claim expenses, appeal venues and how to get to them, as well as other information about the appeal process on GOV.UK. Remember our guidance about whether to appeal, how to appeal, and how to put your case well will be more helpful than theirs as we are independent.

Find an adviser

See How to find an adviser for help to find an adviser or representative.

Find further information and support

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice have some helpful information about ESA, how claims are assessed, and how to appeal.

WCAinfo

WCAinfo is really helpful if you are trying to find out a bit more about what a particular descriptor or regulation means. It’s by LASA and aimed very much at advisers, so it gets a bit complicated, but the introductory information is useful for lots of people.

Youre able

You're able is an online community of and for disabled people with some really useful and supportive forums. Run by the Disabled Living Foundation.

Find further information about how to complain about your assessment

You can write a short complaint letter detailing the errors in your assessment (and any other problems) to the DWP. Explain clearly that you wish to lodge a complaint. You can post it on your Universal Credit journal,
if you select the "payments " option on the journal message filter the message will go to the case manager. If you are not satisfied by their response, the complaint will then go to a case examiner, and if you are still not satisfied your complaint can then go, with the help of your MP, to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who has the ability to request changes to the whole system as well as a solution for you personally. If you do this, please tell us about it via our website as we want to discover if this may be an effective way to campaign for improvements in the system. 

You may also like to send a copy to your MP – it may help them to understand the scale of the problems faced by disabled people accessing benefits, and you will need their help if you are to escalate the complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.  

We have written this page for medical staff, social workers, support workers, and other professionals who might be able to tell the tribunal what they need to know. It explains how to write helpful evidence for this kind of benefit appeal.

Evidence from professionals helps the tribunal to come to the right decision more than anything else. Your evidence doesn't need to be long or typed.

1)  Consider if your patient/client could reasonably be expected to manage finding a job, going to work, or doing all the things they need to do in order to claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (or the Universal Credit version of it). Your client can be entitled to these benefits if the panel recognise they face a substantial risk from being found fit to work even if they don’t meet enough of the descriptors below. For example, if they sometimes have seizures, violent outbursts, frequent falls, suicidal thoughts, delusions, or need supervision to stay safe, it would arguably be dangerous for them to be forced to travel and work without supervision.  Or if they would be unable to look for jobs, and go to meetings and training on time and without fail (perhaps because of depression or confusion) there is a substantial risk that their benefit payments would stop and they would be unable to feed or care for themselves. If the stress of looking for a job or going to work might make them relapse, that can be counted too.

If you can see that any of this applies to your service user please write in your evidence that ‘Looking for work or working poses a substantial risk to the health and well-being of [name of patient/client] because of….’

2) Consider if your patient/client could reasonably be expected to manage going to the meetings and training sessions they need to in order to continue getting the benefit if they are put in the ‘work-related activity group’ (in ESA) or ‘limited capability for work’ group (in Universal Credit). If you are concerned that they will not manage it, include a sentence along the lines of ‘Being obliged to do work-related activity also poses a substantial risk to their health and well-being because of….’

3) Confirm which of the descriptors below they meet. Your patient/client has marked which descriptors they think they meet below. Please confirm all those that you can in your evidence. For example, if they cannot walk into your consulting room without discomfort, or if they are slow and it takes them twice as long as somebody else, please say that.

If you cannot confirm the descriptor your patient has marked but can confirm another in that activity, please include that. If you cannot confirm any from that activity, please just leave it out as your patient may have evidence from someone else who knows more about their problems with this. If you don’t understand why your patient meets the descriptor they have indicated, please ask them.

If your patient/client could do the activity described but not for a reasonable, continuous period, or sometimes, but not on most days, it counts as being unable to do it. For example, if they can stand and walk for 50 meters, but they can only do it a few times in a day, it hurts them, or they wouldn’t be able to do it the next day, the law sees this as not being able to walk for 50 metres.

This appeal is about a decision that was made on …………………………. [patient to fill in]. Your evidence needs to be about how their condition affected them at that time.

4) If you are a medical professional, please also confirm any diagnosis or treatment.

Physical disabilities

Activity 1: Moving around without the help of another person – including using a walking stick, manual wheelchair or other aid you could use.

Descriptors:

(a) Cannot move more than 50 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion, or cannot repeatedly move 50 metres within a reasonable timescale because of significant discomfort or exhaustion - 15 Points

(b) Cannot go up or down two steps without the help of another person, even with the support of a handrail - 9 Points

(c) Cannot move more than 100 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion, or cannot do it repeatedly within a reasonable timescale because of significant discomfort or exhaustion - 9 Points

(d) Cannot move more than 200 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion, or cannot do it repeatedly within a reasonable timescale because of significant discomfort or exhaustion - 6 Points

Activity 2: Standing and sitting

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot move between one seated position and another seated position located next to one another without receiving physical help from another person -15 Points
(b) Cannot, for the majority of the time, remain at a work station, either:
(i) standing without help from another person (even if free to move around); or (ii) sitting (even in an adjustable chair) for more than 30 minutes, before needing to move away in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion -9 Points
(c) Cannot, for the majority of the time, remain at a work station, either:
(i) standing unassisted by another person (even if free to move around); or (ii) sitting (even in an adjustable chair) for more than an hour before needing to move away in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion - 6 points

Activity 3: Reaching

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot raise either arm as if to put something in the top pocket of a coat or jacket - 15 Points
(b) Cannot raise either arm to top of head as if to put on a hat - 9 Points
(c) Cannot raise either arm above head height as if to reach for something - 6 Points

Activity 4: Picking up and moving or things using your upper body and arms

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot pick up and move a 0.5 litre carton full of liquid - 15 Points
(b) Cannot pick up and move a one litre carton full of liquid - 9 Points
(c) Cannot transfer a light but bulky object such as an empty cardboard box - 6 Points

Activity 5: Manual dexterity

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot press a button or turn the pages of a book with either hand - 15 Points
(b) Cannot pick up a £1 coin with either hand - 15 Points
(c) Cannot use a pen or pencil to make a meaningful mark - 9 Points
(d) Cannot use a suitable keyboard or mouse - 9 Points

Activity 6: Making yourself understood through speaking, writing, typing, or other means, without help from someone else

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot convey a simple message, such as the presence of a hazard - 15 Points
(b) Has significant difficulty conveying a simple message to strangers - 15 Points
(c) Has some difficulty conveying a simple message to strangers - 6 Points

Activity 7: Understanding communication by either verbal means (such as hearing or lip reading) and non-verbal means (such as reading large print), using anything to help that you could use (glasses, hearing aid etc), without help from someone else

(For the descriptors below, you only have to show that you have difficulty or are unable to understand a spoken or written message, and not both).

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot understand a simple message due to sensory impairment, such as the location of a fire escape - 15 Points
(b) Has significant difficulty understanding a simple message from a stranger due to sensory impairment - 15 Points
(c) Has some difficulty understanding a simple message from a stranger due to sensory impairment - 6 Points

Activity 8: Finding your way and being safe, using a guide dog or other aid if normally used

Descriptors:
(a) Unable to find your way around familiar places, without the help of another person, due to sensory impairment - 15 Points
(b) Cannot safely cross the road (or complete another potentially dangerous task), without the help of another person, due to sensory impairment - 15 Points
(c) Unable to find your way around unfamiliar places, without the help of another person, due to sensory impairment - 9 points

Activity 9: Extensive incontinence (other than bed-wetting) despite using any aids normally used

Descriptors:
(a) At least once a week experiences loss of control leading to incontinence, or substantial leakage of the contents of a collecting device, so that you need to wash and change your clothes -15 Points
(b) At least once a month experiences loss of control leading to incontinence, or substantial leakage of the contents of a collecting device, so that you need to wash and change your clothes -15 Points

(C)At risk of incontinence, bad enough for you to need to wash and change your clothes, if you are not able to reach a toilet quickly - 6 Points

Activity 10: Consciousness during waking moments

Descriptors:
(a) At least once a week, has an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness that causes significant reduction in awareness or concentration - 15 Points
(b) At least once a month, has an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness that causes significant reduction in awareness or concentration - 6 Points

Mental, cognitive and intellectual function

Activity 11: Learning tasks

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot learn how to complete a simple task, such as setting an alarm clock - 15 Points
(b) Cannot learn anything beyond a simple task, such as setting an alarm clock - 9 Points
(c) Cannot learn anything beyond a moderately complex task, such as the steps involved in operating a washing machine - 6 Points

Activity 12: Awareness of everyday hazards (such as boiling water or sharp objects)

Descriptors:
(a) Reduced awareness of everyday hazards so that there is a significant risk that they will hurt themselves or others, or damage property or possessions, so that they need supervision most of the time to stay safe - 15 Points
(b) Reduced awareness of everyday hazards so that there is a significant risk that they will hurt themselves or others, or damage property or possessions, so that they need frequent supervision to stay safe - 9 Points
(c) Reduced awareness of everyday hazards so that there is a significant risk that they will hurt themselves or others, or damage to property or possessions, so that they occasionally need supervision to stay safe - 6 Points

Activity 13: Initiating and completing personal action (which means planning, organisation, problem solving, prioritising or switching tasks without needing prompting from somebody else)

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot, due to impaired mental function, reliably initiate or complete at least 2 sequential personal actions.
15 Points
(b) Cannot, due to impaired mental function, reliably initiate or complete at least 2 personal actions for the majority of the time.
9 Points
(c) Frequently cannot, due to impaired mental function, reliably initiate or complete at least 2 personal actions.
6 Points

Activity 14: Coping with change

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot cope with any change to the extent that day to day life cannot be managed - 15 Points
(b) Cannot cope with minor planned change (such as a pre-arranged change to the routine time scheduled for a lunch break), to the extent that overall day to day life is made significantly more difficult - 9 Points
(c) Cannot cope with minor unplanned change (such as the timing of an appointment on the day it is due to occur), to the extent that overall, day to day life is made significantly more difficult - 6 Points

Activity 15: Getting about

Descriptors:
(a) Cannot get to any specified place with which the claimant is familiar -15 Points
(b) Is unable to go to a familiar place without being accompanied by another person - 9 Points
(c) Is unable to go to an unfamiliar place without being accompanied by another person - 6 Points

Activity 16: Coping with social engagement due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder

(This is about your ability to interact with people in face-to-face social situations. It must be more than shyness or reticence.)

Descriptors:
(a) Engagement in social contact is always impossible due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual - 15 points
(b) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar is impossible due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual - 9 Points
(c) Engagement in social contact with someone unfamiliar is not possible for the majority of the time due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual - 6 Points

Activity 17: Appropriateness of behaviour with other people, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder

Descriptors:
(a) Has, on a daily basis, uncontrollable episodes of aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace - 15 Points
(b) Frequently has uncontrollable episodes of aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace - 15 Points
(c) Occasionally has uncontrollable episodes of aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace - 9 Points

Activity 18: Conveying food or drink to the mouth

If any of the below descriptors apply, you should automatically be put in the support group (ESA) or Limited capability for work-related activity group (Universal Credit).

(a) Cannot get food or drink to own mouth without physical help from someone else
(b) Cannot get food or drink to own mouth without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort;
(c) Cannot get food or drink to own mouth without needing somebody with you to regularly prompt or remind you

(d) Fails to get food or drink to own mouth without receiving either physical help from somebody else or needing somebody with you to regularly prompt or remind you, because of a severe disorder of mood or behaviour

Activity 19: Chewing or swallowing food or drink

If any of the below descriptors apply, you should automatically be put in the support group (ESA) or Limited capability for work-related activity group (Universal Credit).

(a) Cannot chew or swallow food or drink
(b) Cannot chew or swallow food or drink without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort
(c) Cannot chew or swallow food or drink without needing somebody with you to repeatedly and regularly prompt or remind you
(d) Fails to chew or swallow food or drink or fails to do so without needing somebody with you to regularly prompt or remind you, because of a severe disorder of mood or behaviour 

New help! The Work Capability Assessment Tribunal Submission Tool (created in partnership with University House Legal Advice Centre) helps you to write a submission for the appeal panel which sets out your case just like an adviser would so you don't have to worry about remembering things on the day. The tool works in a similar way to our mandatory reconsideration request tools. So now you have the option of using that tool to write a submission or following the steps below to write a statement. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with. You do not need to do both. 

Disclaimer

The information in this guide applies to England and Wales and Scotland. It will also be useful for people in Northern Ireland. The law is complicated. We recommend you try and get advice from the sources we have suggested if you can.

The cases we refer to are not always real but show a typical situation. We have included them to help you think about how to deal with your own situation.

If you would like this guide in another format please email guides@lawforlife.org.uk

Acknowledgement

This guide was written and updated by Advicenow.

Advicenow would like to thank all those who provided advice and feedback on this guide, particularly David Shah who peer reviewed this edition of the guide.

Thanks to the Ministry of Justice for funding this update. 

February 2024

 

 

 

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