Information included:-

ESA  Mental, Cognitive and intellectual function descriptors -Link to descriptions
ESA Limited capability for work - physical disabilities decriptors - link to descriptions
ESA Limited capability for work- work related activity descriptors - link to descriptions

How much ESA - The assessment phase
How much ESA - The main phase
Enhanced disability premium
The claim form
Terminal illness
Other Claimants
Effect on other benefits
Transitional arrangements


Basic conditions To claim ESA a person must satisfy the following basic conditions:

• Be at least 16 years old and
• Have limited capability for work and
• Not be over pensionable age and
• Be in Great Britain and
• Not be entitled to Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance

There are some circumstances where a person may get ESA whilst not in Great Britain.

Contribution based and income related
There are two forms of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA):

• Employment and Support Allowance (contribution based) (ESA (C))
• Employment and Support Allowance (income related) (ESA (IR))

Claimants who satisfy National Insurance contribution conditions get ESA (contribution based). Others get ESA (income related). ESA (C) may be "topped up" by ESA (IR).
Young people whose limited capability for work begins before age 20 (25 in certain circumstances) can get ESA(C) without satisfying the National Insurance conditions.
ESA is paid at a lower basic rate during the first thirteen weeks of a claim. This is known as the assessment phase.

How much ESA? The assessment phase

During the 13-week assessment phase a person is paid the basic rate of ESA. The only exception to this is for those classed as terminally ill. They are paid the basic rate plus an additional amount, the support component.
Claimants who have paid sufficient National Insurance contributions get the contribution-based form of ESA. This is a flat rate allowance. There is no couple rate or additions for dependants. It is paid at a lower rate for claimants under 25 during the assessment phase. It may be topped up by ESA (income related).
ESA (income related) is means tested. During the assessment phase it consists of a basic allowance plus premiums. The basic allowance has a single person rate, a couple rate and the under 25s get a lower rate. Claimants who meet the qualifying conditions get premiums. Premiums available with ESA (income related) are:

• Enhanced Disability Premium
• Severe Disability Premium
• Pensioner Premium and Higher Pensioner Premium
• Carer Premium

There is no Disability Premium within ESA.
Claimants can also get help with housing costs, for example mortgage interest, with ESA (income related).

Qualifying conditions for premiums and housing costs are the same as for Income Support and income based Jobseekers Allowance. There is a new rule concerning the Enhanced Disability Premium with ESA.

There are no additions for children with either the contribution based or income related parts of ESA. A person has to claim Child Tax Credit for dependent children.

How much ESA? - The main phase

During the assessment phase claimants undergo the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). The WCA determines:

• whether the claimant has limited capability for work, and if so -
• whether the claimant has limited capability for work related activity

Some people can be treated as having limited capability for work and/or for work related activity, if they fall into certain specified groups.

A person who is assessed as not having limited capability for work cannot get ESA. They will have to sign on for Jobseekers Allowance or claim Income Support if they can, for example as a carer, or lone parent.

A person who is assessed or treated as having limited capability for work will continue getting ESA. They will get an extra component paid on top of their assessment phase ESA. The amount of the extra component depends on the result of the limited capability for work related activity test.

Work related activity group

Claimants who are able to undertake work related activity are placed in this group.

They are paid a work related activity component. This is subject to attending and taking part in work-focused interviews and a work focused health related assessment.

Sanctions apply to people who fail to comply without good cause. Their ESA can be progressively reduced down to the assessment phase level.

The support group

Claimants with more severe illnesses or disabilities who are assessed or treated as having limited capability for work related activity are placed in the support group.

They are paid a support component. This is paid at a higher rate than the work related activity component.

The support component is not subject to any conditions and is paid as long as the claimant remains in the support group.

Enhanced disability premium

Claimants in the support group are entitled to the Enhanced Disability Premium (EDP). This is a new rule for ESA. Normally to qualify for the EDP a claimant or their partner must be entitled to Attendance Allowance or the higher rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).

Claimants in the support group get the EDP paid in the main phase without having to satisfy that condition, provided they qualify for ESA (income related). If an ESA claimant or their partner is entitled to Attendance Allowance or the higher rate of DLA care component they are entitled to the EDP from the start of their ESA claim.

Claimants who get ESA (C) and who do not qualify for ESA (IR) because their income and/or capital is too high will not get any premiums. This is because premiums (and housing costs) are only paid with ESA (IR).

Claiming ESA

ESA is administered by Jobcentre Plus, and is subject to the same claim process as most Jobcentre Plus benefits.

The claim form

The same form, called an ESA1, is used to claim contribution based ESA, income related ESA and ESA in youth. Most claimants are expected to use the Jobcentre Plus telephone claim process. People unable to do so should be able to get a paper claim form. Claim forms can be downloaded from the Jobcentre Plus website and an ESA claim can also be started online.

Terminal illness

A claimant who is terminally ill can make a "special rules" claims. Their claim is fast tracked. It should be referred immediately to Medical Services. Provided evidence of their condition is accepted, they are treated as having limited capability for work and for work related activity. They should not have to go through the rest of the Work Capability Assessment or attend a work-focused interview. They are paid the support component from the start of their claim.

Other Claimants

Claimants who are not terminally ill have to go through more stages of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA). This may include completing a self-assessment questionnaire, the ESA50, and attending a medical examination. Once the WCA is completed a decision maker will decide whether the claimant continues to get ESA and if so, whether they are in the support group or work related activity group.

Claiming in advance

ESA can be claimed up to three months in advance.

Backdating

ESA can be backdated for up to three months..

Payment of ESA

ESA is paid into a bank or building society account like most other benefits. A claimant who is unable or refuses to open an account can be paid by cheque. The
DWP is very keen for as many claimants as possible to have benefits paid direct into an account.

The assessment phase

The rules allow for claimants to be paid ESA during the assessment phase, that is, before the Work Capability Assessment is carried out, on the basis of their sick note or other evidence of limited capability for work. This should not generally be a problem. There may occasionally be circumstances when a sick note or other evidence is not accepted.

Also a claimant who has been found not to have limited capability for work cannot usually make a new claim based on the same condition within six months. A claimant in these circumstances should seek advice. Where to get advice.

As explained above most claimants will be paid the basic allowance plus any relevant premiums and housing costs during the assessment phase.

The main phase

The additional components are not generally being paid until the start of the main phase, which is thirteen weeks after the claim, unless the claimant is terminally ill.

ESA and work

The general rule is that a person cannot be classed as having limited capability for work on any day that they actually work. There are exceptions to this rule. Claimants will be able to do voluntary and certain specified types of work and permitted work whilst claiming ESA.

Effect on other benefits

People getting ESA (income related) will be "pass ported" to maximum Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, health benefits and free school meals in the same way as Income Support/Jobseekers Allowance - income based claimants.

For Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit an amount equivalent to the work related activity component or support component is added to the claimant's applicable amount once the claimant becomes entitled to one of them. Claimants in the support group also get the Enhanced Disability Premium included with their Housing and Council Tax Benefit applicable amount. There is no disability premium with Housing and Council Tax Benefits for ESA claimants.

Help with mortgage interest costs is available with income based ESA (income related).

Transitional arrangements

Claimants already getting Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) or Income Support (IS) (for incapacity) on 27 October 2008 will continue to get that benefit. ESA is only for new claims from 27 October.

If a person claims ESA and their claim can be backdated to a date before 27 October it will be treated as a claim for Incapacity Benefit or Income Support.

Some people who claim on or after 27 October who used to get IB, SDA or IS will go back onto that benefit if linking rules apply. If they make a claim for ESA in these circumstances it will be treated as a claim for their former benefit.


ESA Limited Capacity for work - physical diabilities descriptors
Below are the physical disabilities descriptors for the limited capability for work test for Employment and Support Allowance.

How the scoring works

The physical health assessment descriptors are grouped into eleven activities. 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 described.

A person has to score at least 15 points to be found to have limited capability for work. The points can come from the physical health assessment alone or be combined with any scored on the mental health assessment.

A person can only score one 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.


Activities

1. Walking with a walking stick or other aid if such aid is normally used
2. Standing and sitting
3. Bending or kneeling
4. Reaching
5. Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms
6. Manual dexterity
7. Speech
8. Hearing with a hearing aid or other aid if normally worn
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
10. Continence:a) Continence other than enureris (bedwetting) where the claimant does not have an artifical stoma or urinary collecting device
    b) Continence where the claimant uses a urinary collecting device, worn for the majority of the time
    c) Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant has an artifical stoma
11. Remaining conscious during waking moments

Descriptors

1.	Walking with a walking stick or other aid if such aid is normally used
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
e)	Cannot walk more than 200 metres on level ground without stopping or severe discomfort	6
f)	None of the above apply	0
2.	Standing and sitting
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
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
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
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
e)	None of the above apply	0

5.	Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms (excluding all other specified physical disabilities activities)
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
d)	None of the above apply	0
6.	Manual dexterity
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
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
7.	Speech
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
e)	None of the above apply	0
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
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
d)	Cannot see well enough to recognise a friend a ta 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
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

10a)	Continence other than enureris (bed wetting) where the claimant does not have an artificial stoma or urinary collecting device
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
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

10b	Continence where the claimant uses a urinary collecting device, worn for the majority of the time including an indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheter & amp; lt; /th>
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
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

10c	Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant has an artificial stoma
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 artifical 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
c) (v)	Where the claimant's artifical 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

11.	Remaining conscious during waking moments
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
d)	None of the above apply	0

ESA Mental, cognitive and intellectual function descriptors

How the scoring works The mental health assessment is called the mental, cognitive and intellectual function assessment.

The descriptors are grouped into ten activities. 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 described.

A person has to score at least 15 points to be found to have limited capability for work.

The points can come from the mental health assessment alone or be combined with any scored on the physical health assessment.

A person can only score once 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.

The numbering follows on from the physical disabilities descriptors Activities

12. Learning or comprehension in the completion of tasks
13. Awareness of hazard
14. Memory and concentration
15. Execution of tasks
16. Initiating and sustaining personal action
17. Coping with change
18. Getting about
19. Coping with social situations
20. Propriety of behaviour with other people
21. Dealing with other people

12.	Learning or comprehension in the completion of tasks
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
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

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: (i) injury to self or others; or (ii) significant damage to property or possessions, to the extent that overall day to day life cannot successfully be managed	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: (i) injury to self or others; or (ii) significant damage to property or possessions, such that overall day to day life cannot successfully be managed without supervision from another person	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: (i) injury to self or others; or (ii) significant damage to property or possessions, but not to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot managed when such incidents occur	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
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
e)	None of the above apply	0

16.	Initiating and sustaining personal action
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 verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence for the majority of the time	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 Note this is identical to the descriptor above. It is not clear therefore if it carries 15 or 9 points. The equivalent descriptor in the draft regulations carries 15 points. (This error in the regulations which will be amended at some point and we will amend this page when this is done)	9
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

17.	Coping with change
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
d)	None of the above apply	0

18.	Getting about
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
e)	None of the above apply	0

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 Note There is an error in the regulations for this descriptor as no points are specified. It carries 9 points in the draft regulations. We will update this information when the regulations are amended	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
a)	Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour being either: (i) sufficient to cause disruption to others on a daily basis; or (ii) of such severity that although occurring less frequently than on a daily b a sis, no reasonable person would be expected to tolerate them	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
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

21.	Dealing with other people
a)	Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that: (i) has difficulty relating to others even for brief periods, such as a few hours; or (ii) causes distress to others on a daily basis	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: (i) has difficulty relating to others for longer periods, such as a day or two; or (ii) causes distress to others for the majority of the time	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
e)	Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that: (i) has difficulty relating to others for prolonged periods, such as a week; or (ii) frequently causes distress to others	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

ESA Limited Capability for work related activity descriptors

 Employment and Support Allowance was introduced for new claims from 27 October 2008.

Below are the descriptors for the limited capability for work related activity test. This is part of the Work Capability Assessment for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). It determines whether the claimant is placed in the support group or the work related activity group. This test will usually be carried out at the same time as the limited capability for work test.
If one descriptor applies to the claimant, they will be placed in the support group and will receive an additional component with their ESA. They will not have to attend work focused interviews or a work focused health related assessment.
There are 46 descriptors arranged in 11 activities.

Activities

1. Walking or moving on level ground
2. Rising from sitting and transferring from one seated position to another
3. Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms
4. Reaching
5. Manual dexterity
6. Continence:
   a) Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant does not have an artificial stoma or urinary collecting device)
   b) Continence where the claimant uses a urinary collecting device
   c) Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant has an artificial stoma appliance
7. Maintaining personal hygiene
8. Eating and drinking:
   a) Conveying food or drink to the mouth
   b) Chewing or swallowing food or drink
9. Learning or comprehension in the completion of tasks
10. Personal action
11. Communication

1.	Walking or moving on level ground
	Cannot -
a)	walk (with a walking stick or other aid, if such aid is normally used);
b)	move (with the aid of crutches if crutches are normally used);
c)	manually propel the claimant's wheel chair;
	more than 30 metres without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort.
2.	Rising from sitting and transferring from one seated position to another
	Cannot complete both of the following -
a)	rise to standing from sitting in an upright chair without receiving physical assistance from someone else; and
b)	move between on seated position and another seated position located next to one another without receiving physical assistance from someone else
3.	Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms (excluding standing, sitting, bending or kneeling and all other activities specified in this schedule)
	Cannot pick up and move a 0.5 litre carton full of liquid with either hand
4.	Reaching
	Cannot raise either arm as if to put something in the top pocket of a coat or jacket
5.	Manual dexterity
a)	turn a "star headed" sink tap with either hand; or
b)	pick up a £1 coin or equivalent with either hand
	Cannot
6a	Continence other than enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant does not have an artificial stoma or urinary collecting device
a)	Has no voluntary control over the evacuation of the bowel
b)	Has no voluntary control over the voiding of the bladder
c)	At least once a week, loses control of bowels so that the claimant cannot control the full evacuation of the bowel
d)	At least once a week, loses control of the bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder
e)	At least once a week, fails to control full evacuation of the bowel, owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour
f)	At least once a week, fails to control full voiding of the bladder, owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour
6b	Continence where the claimant uses a urinary collecting device, worn for the majority of the time including an indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheter
a)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty the catheter bag or other collecting device without receiving physical assistance from another person
b)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty the catheter bag or other collecting device without causing leakage of contents
c)	Has no voluntary control over the evacuation of the bowel
d)	At least once a week loses control of the bowels so that the claimant cannot control full evacuation of the bowel
e)	At least once a week, fails to control full evacuation of the bowel, owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour
6c	Continence other the enuresis (bed wetting) where the claimant has an artificial stoma appliance
a)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty stoma appliance without receiving physical assistance from another person
b)	Is unable to affix, remove or empty stoma without causing leakage of contents
c)	Where the claimant's artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, has no voluntary control over the voiding of the bladder
d)	Where the claimant's artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, at least once a week, loses control of the bladder so that the claimant cannot control the full voiding of the bladder
e)	Where the claimant's artificial stoma relates solely to the evacuation of the bowel, at least once a week, fails to control the full voiding of the bladder, owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour

7.	Maintaining personal hygiene
a)	Cannot clean own torso (excluding own back) without receiving physical assistance from someone else
b)	Cannot clean own torso (excluding back) without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort
c)	Cannot clean own torso (excluding back) without receiving regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence
d)	Owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, fails to clean own torso (excluding own back) without receiving - i) physical assistance from someone else; or ii) regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence

8a	Eating and drinking - conveying food or drink to the mouth
a)	Cannot convey food or drink to the claimant's own mouth without receiving physical assistance from someone else
b)	Cannot convey food or drink to the claimant's own mouth without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort
c)	Cannot convey food or drink to the claimant's own mouth without receiving regular prompting given by someone else in the claimants physical presence
	Owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, fails to convey food or drink to the claimant's own mouth without receiving: i) physical assistance from someone else; or ii) regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence
8b	Eating and drinking - chewing or swallowing food or drink
a)	Cannot chew or swallow food or drink
b)	Cannot chew or swallow food or drink without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort
c)	Cannot chew or swallow food or drink without repeatedly receiving regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence
d)	Owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, fails to - i) chew or swallow food or drink; or ii) chew or swallow food or drink without receiving regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence
9.	Learning or comprehension in the completion of tasks
a)	Cannot learn or understand how to successfully complete a simple task, such as the preparation of a hot drink, at all
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; or
c)	Fails to do any of the matters referred to in (a) or (b) owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour

10.	Personal action
a)	Cannot initiate or sustain any personal action (which means planning, organisation, problem solving, prioritising or switching tasks)
b)	Cannot initiate or sustain personal action without requiring daily verbal prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence
c)	Fails to initiate or sustain basic personal action without requiring daily verbal prompting given by someone else in the claimant's presence, owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour

11.	Communication
a)	None of the following forms of communication can be achieved by the claimant - i) speaking (to a standard that may be understood by strangers) ii) writing (to a standard that may be understood by strangers) iii) typing (to a standard that may be understood by strangers) iv) sign language to a standard equivalent to Level 3 British Sign Language
b)	None of the forms of communication referred to in (a) are achieved by the claimant owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour
c)	Misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extend of causing distress to himself or herself on a daily basis
d)	Effectively cannot make himself or herself understood to others because of the claimant's disassociation from reality owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour

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Blackpool Council Customer First Centre Municipal Building Corporation Street Blackpool FY1 1NF Tel: (01253) 477477 Customer First Centre Monday to Friday 8am-5.30pm Saturday 9am-2pm Customer First Telephone Line 8am-6pm Monday to Friday Saturday 9am-2pm