ESA Work Capability Assessment
Work Capability Assessment
The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) has three stages. Firstly, the Limited Capability for Work Test determines whether or not you remain on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), secondly, the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity Test determines whether you join the ‘support group’ of claimants or the ‘work-related activity group’ and thirdly, the Work Focused Health Related Assessment provides a report that can be used in any work-focused interviews that you may be required to attend later on.
The Limited Capability for Work Test
This test is the gateway into entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance. Each activity is broken down into a number of descriptors. Descriptors carry 0, 6, 9, or 15 points which relate to the degree of difficulty a person has in carrying out each task.
A person has to score at least 15 points to be found to have limited capability for work.
A person can only score against one descriptor under each activity even if more than one descriptor applies to them. They should count the highest scoring descriptor which applies to them in each activity.
1. |
Walking with a walking stick or other aid if such aid is normally used |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
Cannot walk more than 200 metres on level ground without stopping or severe discomfort |
6 |
| f) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot walk at all |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot walk more than 50 metres on level ground without repeatedly stopping or severe discomfort |
15 |
| c) |
Cannot walk up or down two steps even with the support of a handrail |
15 |
| d) |
Cannot walk more than 100 metres on level ground without stopping or severe discomfort |
9 |
2. |
Standing and sitting |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
Cannot stand for more than 30 minutes, even if free to move around, before needing to sit down |
6 |
| f) |
Cannot sit in a chair with a high back and no arms for more than 30 minutes without needing to move from the chair because the degree of discomfort makes it impossible to continue sitting |
6 |
| g) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot stand for more than 10 minutes, unassisted by another person, even if free to move around, before needing to sit down |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot sit in a chair with a high back and no arms for more than 10 minutes before needing to move from the chair because of the degree of discomfort experienced makes it impossible to continue sitting |
15 |
| c) |
Cannot rise to standing from sitting in an upright chair without physical assistance from another person |
15 |
| d) |
Cannot move between one seated position and another seated position located next to one another without receiving physical assistance from another person |
15 |
3. |
Bending or kneeling |
|
|---|---|---|
| a) |
Cannot bend to touch knees and straighten up again |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot bend, kneel or squat, as if to pick up a light object, such as a piece of paper, situated 15cm from the floor on a low shelf, and to move it and straighten up again without the help of another person |
9 |
| c) |
Cannot bend, kneel or squat, as if to pick a light object off the floor and straighten up again without the help of another person |
6 |
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
4. |
Reaching |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot raise either arm as if to put something in the top pocket of a coat or jacket |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot put either arm behind back as if to put on a coat or jacket |
15 |
| c) |
Cannot raise either arm to top of head as if put on an hat |
9 |
| d) |
Cannot raise either arm above head height as if to reach for something |
6 |
5. |
Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms (excluding all other specified physical disabilities activities) |
|
|---|---|---|
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot pick up and move a 0.5 litre carton full of liquid with either hand |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot pick up and move a one litre carton full of liquid with either hand |
9 |
| c) |
Cannot pick up and move a light but bulky object such as an empty cardboard box, requiring the use of both hands together |
6 |
6. |
Manual dexterity |
|
|---|---|---|
| d) |
Cannot physically use a pen or pencil |
9 |
| e) |
Cannot physically use a conventional keyboard or mouse |
9 |
| f) |
Cannot do up/undo small buttons, such as shirt or blouse buttons |
9 |
| g) |
Cannot turn a "star-headed" sink tap with one hand but can with the other |
6 |
| h) |
Cannot pick up a £1 coin or equivalent with one hand but can with the other |
6 |
| i) |
Cannot pour from am open 0.5 litre carton full of liquid |
6 |
| j) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot turn a "star-headed" sink tap with either hand |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot pick up a £1 coin or equivalent with either hand |
15 |
| c) |
Cannot turn the pages of a book with either hand |
15 |
7. |
Speech |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot speak at all |
15 |
| b) |
Speech cannot be understood by strangers |
15 |
| c) |
Strangers have great difficulty understanding speech |
9 |
| d) |
Strangers have some difficulty understanding speech |
6 |
8. |
Hearing with a hearing aid or other aid if normally worn |
|
|---|---|---|
| a) |
Cannot hear at all |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot hear well enough to be able to hear someone talking in a loud voice in a quiet room, sufficiently clearly to distinguish the words being spoken |
15 |
| c) |
Cannot hear someone talking in a normal voice in a quiet room, sufficiently clearly to distinguish the words being spoken |
9 |
| d) |
Cannot hear someone talking in a loud voice in a busy street, sufficiently clearly to distinguish the words being spoken |
6 |
| e) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
9. |
Vision, including visual acuity and visual fields, in normal daylight or bright electric light, with glasses or other aid to vision if such aid is normally worn |
|
|---|---|---|
| d) |
Cannot see well enough to recognise a friend ata distance of at least 5 metres |
9 |
| e) |
Has 25% or more than less than 50% reduction of visual fields |
6 |
| f) |
Cannot see well enough to recognise a friend at a distance of at least 15 metres |
6 |
| g) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot see at all |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot see well enough to read 16 point print at a distance of greater than 20cm |
15 |
| c) |
Has 50% or greater reduction of visual fields |
15 |
10 (a) |
Continence other than enureris (bed wetting) where the claimant does not have an artificial stoma or urinary collecting device |
|
|---|---|---|
| a)(v) |
Occasionally loses control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel |
9 |
| a) (vi) |
At least once a month loses control of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder |
6 |
| a) (vii) |
Risks losing control of bowels of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel or the full voiding of the bladder if not able to reach a toilet quickly |
6 |
| a) (viii) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) (i) |
Has no voluntary control over the evacuation of the bowel |
15 |
| a) (ii) |
Has no voluntary control over the voiding of the bladder |
15 |
| a) (iii) |
At least once a month loses control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel |
15 |
| a) (iv) |
At least once a week, loses control of the bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder |
15 |
10 (b) |
Continence where the claimant uses a urinary collecting device, worn for the majority of the time including an indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheter |
|
|---|---|---|
| b) (v) |
Occasionally loses control of bowels, so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel |
9 |
| b) (vi) |
Risks losing control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel if not able to reach a toilet quickly |
6 |
| b) (vii) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| b) (i) |
Is unable to affix, remove or empty the catheter bag or other collecting device without receiving physical assistance from another person |
15 |
| b) (ii) |
Is unable to affix, remove or empty the catheter bag or other collecting device without causing leakage of contents |
15 |
| b) (iii) |
Has no voluntary control over the evacuation of the bowel |
15 |
| b) (iv) |
At least once a month, loses control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel |
15 |
10 (c) |
Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant has an artificial stoma |
|
|---|---|---|
| c) (v) |
Where the claimant's artificial relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, risks losing control of the bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder if not able to reach a toilet quickly |
6 |
| c) (vi) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| c)(i) |
Is unable to affix, remove or empty stoma appliance without receiving physical assistance from another person |
15 |
| c) (ii) |
Is unable to affix remove or empty stoma appliance without causing leakage of contents |
15 |
| c) (iii) |
Where the claimant's artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, at least once a week, loses control of bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder |
15 |
| c) (iv) |
Where the claimant's artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, at least once a month, loses control of the bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder |
9 |
11. |
Remaining conscious during waking moments |
|
|---|---|---|
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
At least once a week, has an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness, resulting in significantly disrupted awareness of concentration |
15 |
| b) |
At least once a month, has an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness, resulting in significantly disrupted awareness or concentration |
9 |
| c) |
At least twice in the six months immediately preceding the assessment, has had an involuntary episode of lost or altered consciousness, resulting in significantly disrupted awareness or concentration |
6 |
12. |
Learning or comprehension in the completion of tasks |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
Needs verbal instructions as to how to carry out a simple task before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable, within a period of less than one week, to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a verbal prompt from another person |
6 |
| f) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot learn or understand how to successfully complete a simple task, such as setting an alarm clock, at all |
15 |
| b) |
Needs to witness a demonstration, given more than once on the same occasion, of how to carry out a simple task before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a further demonstration of how to complete it |
15 |
| c) |
Needs to witness a demonstration of how to carry out a simple task, before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a verbal prompt from another person |
9 |
| d) |
Needs to witness a demonstration of how to carry out a moderately complex task, such as the steps involved in operating a washing machine to correctly clean clothes, before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a verbal prompt from another person |
9 |
13. |
Awareness of hazard |
|
|---|---|---|
| a) |
Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards (such as boiling water or sharp objects) would lead to daily instances of or to near-avoidance of: |
15 |
| b) |
Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards would lead for the majority of the time to instances of or to the near-avoidance of: |
9 |
| c) |
Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards has led or would lead to frequent instances of or to the near-avoidance of: |
6 |
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
14. |
Memory or concentration |
|
|---|---|---|
| a) |
On a daily basis, forgets or loses concentration to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot be successfully managed without receiving verbal prompting, given by someone else in the claimant's presence |
15 |
| b) |
For the majority of the time, forgets or loses concentration to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot be successfully managed without receiving verbal prompting, given by someone else in the claimant's presence |
9 |
| c) |
Frequently forgets or loses concentration to such an extent that overall day to day life can only be successfully managed with pre-planning, such as making a daily written list of all tasks forming part of daily life that are to be completed |
6 |
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
15. |
Execution of tasks |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Is unable to successfully complete any everyday task |
15 |
| b) |
Takes more than twice the length of time it would take a person without any form of mental disablement, to successfully complete an everyday task with which the claimant is familiar |
15 |
| c) |
Takes more than one and a half times but no more than twice the length of time it would take a person without any form of mental disablement to successfully complete an everyday task with which the claimant is familiar |
9 |
| d) |
Takes one and a half times the length of time it would take a person without any form of mental disablement to successfully complete an everyday task with which the claimant is familiar |
6 |
16. |
Initiating and sustaining personal action |
|
|---|---|---|
|
d) |
Cannot, due to a cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain personal action without requiring frequent verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence for the majority of the time |
6 |
| e) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot, due to a cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain any personal action (which means planning, organisation, problem solving, prioritising or switching tasks) |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot, due to a cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain personal action without requiring daily verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence |
15 |
| c) |
Cannot, due to a cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain personal action without requiring verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence for the majority of the time |
9 |
17. |
Coping with change |
|
|---|---|---|
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot cope with very minor, expected changes in routine, to the extent that overall day to day life cannot be managed |
15 |
| b) |
Cannot cope with expected changes in routine (such as a pre-arranged permanent 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 |
| c) |
Cannot cope with expected changes in routine (such as an unexpected change of the timing of an appointment on the day on which it is due to occur), to the extent that overall day to day life is made significantly more difficult |
6 |
18. |
Getting about |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Cannot get to any specified place with which the claimant is, or would be, familiar |
15 |
| b) |
Is unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is familiar, without being accompanied by another person on each occasion |
15 |
| c) |
For the majority of the time is unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is familiar without being accompanied by another person |
9 |
| d) |
Is frequently unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is familiar without being accompanied by another person |
6 |
19. |
Coping with social situations |
|
|---|---|---|
| a) |
Normal activities, for example, visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are precluded because of overwhelming fear or anxiety |
15 |
| b) |
Normal activities, for example, visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are precluded for the majority of the time due to overwhelming fear or anxiety |
9 |
| c) |
Normal activities, for example, visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are frequently precluded due to overwhelming fear or anxiety |
6 |
| d) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
20. |
Propriety of behaviour with other people |
|
|---|---|---|
| d) |
Has a strongly disproportionate reaction to minor events or to criticism, to the extent that the claimant cannot manage overall day to day life when such events or criticism occur |
9 |
| e) |
Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour, sufficient to cause frequent disruption |
6 |
| f) |
Frequently demonstrates a moderately disproportionate reaction to minor events or to criticism but not to such an extend that the claimant cannot manage overall day to day life when such events or criticism occur |
6 |
| g) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour being either: |
15 |
| b) |
Has a completely disproportionate reaction to minor events or criticism to the extent that the claimant has an extreme violent outburst leading to threatening behaviour or actual physical violence |
15 |
| c) |
Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour, sufficient in severity or frequency to cause disruption for the majority of the time |
9 |
21. |
Dealing with other people |
|
|---|---|---|
| e) |
Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that: |
6 |
| f) |
The claimant misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extent of causing himself or herself significant distress on a frequent basis |
6 |
| g) |
None of the above apply |
0 |
| a) |
Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that: |
15 |
| b) |
The claimant misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extent of causing himself or herself significant distress on a daily basis |
15 |
| c) |
Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that: |
9 |
| d) |
The claimant misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extent of causing himself or herself significant distress for the majority of the time |
9 |
Treated as having limited capability for work
No-one is exempt from the medical assessment for ESA. All claimants have to undergo at least one element of it. But there are a few circumstances where a person can be treated as having limited capability for work. They are where the person is :
-
terminally ill
-
receiving chemotherapy (unless it is via oral medication)
-
under notice as a carrier of, or had contact with, an infectious disease
-
pregnant and there would be a serious risk to health of the claimant or her baby if she did not refrain from work
-
pregnant, entitled to Maternity Allowance and within the Maternity Allowance period
-
pregnant or have recently given birth, not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance, from 6 weeks before the birth to 2 weeks after baby is born
-
a hospital inpatient
-
receiving treatment by way of haemodialysis, plasmapharesis, radiotherapy or total parenteral nutrition, in any week when the person receives treatment or has a day of recovery from treatment. In the first week of any such treatment, claimant is only treated as having limited capability for work if they have:
-
2 days of treatment; or
-
2 days of recovery; or
-
1 day of treatment and one day of recovery
The days do not have to be consecutive
-