Thank you for contacting me about people with Parkinson's Disease and the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and its Universal Credit (UC) equivalent. Parkinson’s Disease is a terrible condition for anyone to have to deal with, and I agree it is absolutely crucial that sufferers and their families receive all the support they need.
From April 2017, the rate of benefit paid to new claims for ESA and Universal Credit (UC) with limited capability for work will be aligned with the standard rate of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). This change only affects new claims made after that date. Importantly, this reform will not affect people in the Support Group in ESA or claimants with limited capability for work and work-related activity in UC.
Those in the WRAG currently receive additional cash payments but little employment support appropriate for their needs. This change involves recycling some of the money currently spent on cash payments, which are not actually achieving the desired effect of helping people move closer to the labour market, into practical support that will make a genuine difference to individuals' life chances. This new funding will be worth £100 million by 2020-21.
Those with the most severe work limiting health conditions and disabilities are placed in the Support Group in ESA and have been assessed as having limited capability for work and work-related activity in UC. In both cases, these claimants will continue to receive an additional payment in their ESA or UC. These additional payments are also exempt from the freeze on working-age benefits and the Benefit Cap.
The vast majority of people with Parkinson's are placed in the Support Group. In fact, figures published in 2015 showed that of 2,600 claimants with Parkinson's who had been assessed for ESA, 2,400 were in the Support Group.
For those ESA claimants who are placed into the WRAG and UC claimants determined to have limited capability for work, a trained professional has advised that they are capable of some work-related activity and it is important we do not write these people off. On their website, Parkinson's UK recognise that "Many people with Parkinson's continue to work for many years after their diagnosis" but may need changes to the way they work to do so. However, when an individual's condition deteriorates, they may request to have their eligibility reassessed. On this basis they may then be moved into the Support Group in ESA, or the UC equivalent.
I believe that the reforms to ESA, WRAG and the UC equivalent are the right thing to do for claimants because it is a duty of government to support those who want to work to do so. I would also reiterate that those already claiming ESA or UC will not be affected by the change.
I hope this has also gone some way to explaining the ways the Government is ensuring the system protects those with the most serious conditions, such as Parkinson’s Disease including exempting the Support Group component in ESA and its UC equivalent from the benefits freeze and the Benefit Cap.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
