Work capability assessment
Resources and information for advisers on the work capability assessment.
Relevant to
all of the UK
Online handbooks
Information on the work capability assessment in our online handbooks:
Welfare Benefits Handbook (for subscribers):
Disability Rights Handbook (for subscribers):
Articles
The most recent articles from our Welfare Rights Bulletin which relate to the work capability assessment:
- Work, limited capability for work and universal credit (October 2024)
- Are assessments and PIP transforming? (October 2024) (for subscribers)
- ‘Cross-examined’? How the tribunal asks questions (April 2024)
- The WCA and the future (June 2023)
- ‘Substantial risk’ and the WCA (December 2021)
Tools and templates
Our tools include tools to help you draft a mandatory reconsideration request to challenge a decision on limited capability for work and/or limited capability for work related activity:
- Employment and support allowance work capability assessment: mandatory reconsideration letter
- Universal credit work capability assessment: mandatory reconsideration
Our judicial review (JR) pre-action protocol template letters for advisers:
For copies of the JR template letters, advice about whether JR is the appropriate route, and for help with adapting the templates, contact our Judicial Review Project ([email protected]).
Briefings
Our response to the the Pathways to Work green paper and subsequent Spring Statement:
Our briefing on the previous government’s response to the Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry on health assessments:
Our briefing on the previous government’s proposals to end the work capability assessment:
- The future of the work capability assessment (March 2023).
Early Warning System
Our recent Early Warning System (EWS) eBulletin:
- LCWRA and cancer treatment (September 2025)
The EWS gathers information and evidence on the impact of changes to the benefit system. Send us details of cases:
Training courses
Find out about our training courses on the work capability assessment: