The Universal Credit Regulations 2013

PART 5 U.K. CAPABILITY FOR WORK OR WORK-RELATED ACTIVITY

Introduction U.K.

38.  The question whether a claimant has limited capability for work, or for work and work-related activity, is to be determined for the purposes of the Act and these Regulations in accordance with this Part.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Reg. 38 excluded (cond.) by S.I. 2014/1230 reg. 23(1A) (as inserted (13.10.2014) by The Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/1626), regs. 1(2), 5(2)(c))

Limited capability for work U.K.

39.—(1) A claimant has limited capability for work if—

(a) it has been determined that the claimant has limited capability for work on the basis of an assessment under this Part or under Part 4 of the ESA Regulations; or

(b) the claimant is to be treated as having limited capability for work (see paragraph (6)).

(2) An assessment under this Part is an assessment as to the extent to which a claimant who has some specific disease or bodily or mental disablement is capable of performing the activities prescribed in Schedule 6 or is incapable by reason of such disease or bodily or mental disablement of performing those activities.

(3) A claimant has limited capability for work on the basis of an assessment under this Part if, by adding the points listed in column (3) of Schedule 6 against each descriptor listed in column (2) of that Schedule that applies in the claimant's case, the claimant obtains a total score of at least—

(a) 15 points whether singly or by a combination of descriptors specified in Part 1 of that Schedule;

(b) 15 points whether singly or by a combination of descriptors specified in Part 2 of that Schedule; or

(c) 15 points by a combination of descriptors specified in Parts 1 and 2 of that Schedule.

(4) In assessing the extent of a claimant's capability to perform any activity listed in Schedule 6, it is a condition that the claimant's incapability to perform the activity arises—

(a) in respect of any descriptor listed in Part 1 of Schedule 6, from a specific bodily disease or disablement;

(b) in respect of any descriptor listed in Part 2 of Schedule 6, from a specific mental illness or disablement; or

(c) in respect of any descriptor or descriptors listed in—

(i) Part 1 of Schedule 6, as a direct result of treatment provided by a registered medical practitioner for a specific physical disease or disablement, or

(ii) Part 2 of Schedule 6, as a direct result of treatment provided by a registered medical practitioner for a specific mental illness or disablement.

(5) Where more than one descriptor specified for an activity applies to a claimant, only the descriptor with the highest score in respect of each activity which applies is to be counted.

(6) [F1 Subject to paragraph (7),] a claimant is to be treated as having limited capability for work if any of the circumstances set out in Schedule 8 applies.

[F2 (7) Where the circumstances set out in paragraph 4 or 5 of Schedule 8 apply, a claimant may only be treated as having limited capability for work if the claimant does not have limited capability for work as determined in accordance with an assessment under this Part.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 39(6) inserted (28.4.2014) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/597), regs. 1, 2(4)(a)

F2 Reg. 39(7) inserted (28.4.2014) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/597), regs. 1, 2(4)(b)

Limited capability for work and work-related activity U.K.

40.—(1) A claimant has limited capability for work and work-related activity if—

(a) it has been determined that—

(i) the claimant has limited capability for work and work-related activity on the basis of an assessment under this Part, or

(ii) the claimant has limited capability for work related activity on the basis of an assessment under Part 5 of ESA Regulations; or

(b) the claimant is to be treated as having limited capability for work and work-related activity (see paragraph (5)).

(2) A claimant has limited capability for work and work-related activity on the basis of an assessment under this Part if, by reason of the claimant's physical or mental condition,—

(a) at least one of the descriptors set out in Schedule 7 applies to the claimant;

(b) the claimant's capability for work and work-related activity is limited; and

(c) the limitation is such that it is not reasonable to require that claimant to undertake such activity.

(3) In assessing the extent of a claimant's capability to perform any activity listed in Schedule 7, it is a condition that the claimant's incapability to perform the activity arises—

(a) in respect of descriptors 1 to 8, 15(a), 15(b), 16(a) and 16(b)—

(i) from a specific bodily disease or disablement; or

(ii) as a direct result of treatment provided by a registered medical practitioner for a specific physical disease or disablement; or

(b) in respect of descriptors 9 to 14, 15(c), 15(d), 16(c) and 16(d)—

(i) from a specific mental illness or disablement; or

(ii) as a direct result of treatment provided by a registered medical practitioner for a specific mental illness or disablement.

(4) A descriptor applies to a claimant if that descriptor applies to the claimant for the majority of the time or, as the case may be, on the majority of the occasions on which the claimant undertakes or attempts to undertake the activity described by that descriptor.

(5) [F3 Subject to paragraph (6),] a claimant is to be treated as having limited capability for work and work-related activity if any of the circumstances set out in Schedule 9 applies.

[F4 (6) Where the circumstances set out in paragraph 4 of Schedule 9 apply, a claimant may only be treated as having limited capability for work and work-related activity if the claimant does not have limited capability for work and work-related activity as determined in accordance with an assessment under this Part.]

Textual Amendments

F3 Words in reg. 40(5) inserted (28.4.2014) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/597), regs. 1, 2(5)(a)

F4 Reg. 40(6) inserted (28.4.2014) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/597), regs. 1, 2(5)(b)

Work Capability Assessment U.K.

When an assessment may be carried out U.K.

41.—(1) The Secretary of State may carry out an assessment under this Part where—

(a) it falls to be determined for the first time whether a claimant has limited capability for work or for work and work-related activity; or

(b) there has been a previous determination and the Secretary of State wishes to determine whether there has been a relevant change of circumstances in relation to the claimant's physical or mental condition or whether that determination was made in ignorance of, or was based on a mistake as to, some material fact,

but subject to paragraphs (2) to (4).

(2) If the claimant has [F5 monthly] earnings that are equal to or exceed the relevant threshold, the Secretary of State may not carry out an assessment under this Part unless—

(a) the claimant is entitled to attendance allowance, disability living allowance[F6 , child disability payment][F7 , adult disability payment] or personal independence payment; or

(b) the assessment is for the purposes of reviewing a previous determination that a claimant has limited capability for work or for work and work-related activity that was made on the basis of an assessment under this Part or under Part 4 or 5 of the ESA Regulations,

and, in a case where no assessment may be carried out by virtue of this paragraph, the claimant is to be treated as not having limited capability for work unless they are treated as having limited capability for work or for work and work-related activity by virtue of regulation 39(6) or 40(5).

(3) The relevant threshold for the purposes of paragraph (2) is the amount that a person would be paid at the hourly rate set out in [F8 regulation 4 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations] for 16 hours a week[F9 , converted to a monthly amount by multiplying by 52 and dividing by 12].

(4) If it has previously been determined on the basis of an assessment under this Part or under Part 4 or 5 of the ESA Regulations that the claimant does not have limited capability for work, no further assessment is to be carried out unless there is evidence to suggest that—

(a) the determination was made in ignorance of, or was based on a mistake as to, some material fact; or

(b) there has been a relevant change of circumstances in relation to the claimant's physical or mental condition.

Textual Amendments

F5 Word in reg. 41(2) substituted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1754), regs. 1(1), 2(4)(a)

F6 Words in reg. 41(2)(a) inserted (26.7.2021) by The Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 (Disability Assistance for Children and Young People) (Consequential Modifications) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/786), art. 1(2), Sch. 11 para. 5

F7 Words in reg. 41(2)(a) inserted (21.3.2022) by The Social Security (Disability Assistance for Working Age People) (Consequential Amendments) Order 2022 (S.I. 2022/177), arts. 1(2), 13(5)

F8 Words in reg. 41(3) substituted (25.7.2016) by The Social Security (Jobseeker's Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/678), regs. 1, 5(3)

F9 Words in reg. 41(3) inserted (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Universal Credit and Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 2015 (S.I. 2015/1754), regs. 1(1), 2(4)(b)

Assessment - supplementary U.K.

42.—(1) The following provisions apply to an assessment under this Part.

(2) The claimant is to be assessed as if the claimant were fitted with or wearing any prosthesis with which the claimant is normally fitted or normally wears or, as the case may be, wearing or using any aid or appliance which is normally, or could reasonably be expected to be, worn or used.

(3) If a descriptor applies in the case of the claimant as a direct result of treatment provided by a registered medical practitioner for a specific disease, illness or disablement, it is to be treated as applying by reason of the disease, illness or disablement.

Information requirement U.K.

43.—(1) The information required to determine whether a claimant has limited capability for work or for work and work-related activity is—

(a) any information relating to the descriptors specified in Schedule 6 or 7 requested by the Secretary of State in the form of a questionnaire; and

(b) any additional information that may be requested by the Secretary of State.

(2) But where the Secretary of State is satisfied that there is enough information to make the determination without the information mentioned in paragraph (1)(a), that information is not required.

(3) Where a claimant fails without a good reason to comply with a request under paragraph (1), the claimant is to be treated as not having limited capability for work or, as the case may be, for work and work-related activity.

(4) But paragraph (3) does not apply unless the claimant was sent a further request to provide the information at least 3 weeks after the date of the first request and at least 1 week has passed since the further request was sent.

Medical examinations U.K.

44.—(1) Where it falls to be determined whether a claimant has limited capability for work or for work and work-related activity, the claimant may be called by or on behalf of a health care professional approved by the Secretary of State to attend a medical examination.

(2) Where a claimant who is called by or on behalf of such a health care professional to attend a medical examination [F10 in person, by telephone or by video] fails without a good reason to attend or submit to the examination, the claimant is to be treated as not having limited capability for work or, as the case may be, for work and work-related activity.

(3) But paragraph (2) does not apply unless—

(a) notice of the date, time and place of the examination was given to the claimant at least 7 days in advance; or

(b) notice was given less than 7 days in advance and the claimant agreed to accept it.

Textual Amendments

F10 Words in reg. 44(1) inserted (25.3.2021) by The Social Security (Claims and Payments, Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit) (Telephone and Video Assessment) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/230), regs. 1(1), 4(2)