Tue Sep 10 15:21:51 UTC 2024: ## UK Benefits Assessments Undergo Major Shake-Up With New Regional Providers
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a major overhaul of the way benefits assessments are conducted across the UK, impacting claims for Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and other benefits. This change involves assigning responsibility for all assessments within a specific region to a single company, marking the first step towards a nationwide Health Assessment Service in five years.
The new system, effective immediately and lasting until 2029, will see different companies handling assessments in different regions:
**Capita:** Midlands and Wales, Northern Ireland, and certain B postcodes (excluding B14, B17, B19, and B78 for PIP).
**Ingeus:** South East, London, and East Anglia, including postcodes E5, N2, N3, N4, and N6 for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
**Serco:** South West and South Central.
**Maximus UK:** Northern England and Scotland.
The DWP will continue to conduct assessments directly in some specific areas, notably for PIP in postcodes E5, N2, N3, N4, and N6 and for Universal Credit/ESA in those same postcodes.
For PIP claimants, the assessments typically involve a health assessment to determine the level of payment based on the impact of disability on everyday tasks and mobility. Universal Credit and ESA claimants who claim illness preventing them from working must undergo a work capability assessment.
Claimants are encouraged to follow the instructions in their appointment letters and can check their provider using their postcode on an interactive map provided by the DWP. For those with questions about their appointment, they can contact the Health Assessment Service at 0800 015 2561.
First Piper 