Guidance

Attending your face-to-face health assessment for a Work Capability Assessment, Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and Personal Independence Payment during the COVID-19 period

Updated 15 August 2022

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. About this guide

This guide is to help you safely attend your face to face health assessment in England, Scotland or Wales for:

• Work Capability Assessment (WCA), if you are claiming Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC)
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB)
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Other benefits that require a health assessment delivered by Centre for Health and Disability Assessments (CHDA) on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the assessment providers have put a range of measures in place so that assessments can take place safely during Coronavirus (COVID-19).

You might find it helpful to read this guide before you attend your assessment.

2. Before your assessment

Your appointment letter will include extra information about attending your assessment. Please read this letter before your assessment.

Please help us to protect you and our staff and reduce the risk of anyone spreading or getting COVID-19.

Do not attend your assessment if you or anyone coming with you has symptoms of COVID-19 or has tested positive for COVID-19.

Instead please contact the assessment provider straight away, using the contact details in your appointment letter. They will discuss and re-arrange your assessment.

There is information about COVID-19 symptoms on the NHS website.

3. Who you can bring with you to your assessment

If you need support at your assessment, you can bring someone with you.

Please do not bring children with you to your assessment. If you have children and cannot make childcare arrangements, please contact the assessment provider straight away using the contact details in your appointment letter so they can discuss the best way to carry out your assessment.

4. Face coverings

We recommend you, and anyone who comes with you to your assessment, wear a suitable face covering when you attend your appointment unless you have a reason for not wearing one.

By face covering, we mean something which safely covers the nose and mouth. You can buy reusable or single-use face coverings. You may also use a scarf, bandana, religious garment or hand-made cloth covering but these must securely fit round the side of the face.

5. The assessment centre

There will be staff at the assessment centre to help you when you arrive. To reduce the amount of time you will have to wait please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your appointment start time.

You, or anyone who comes with you, will not have your temperature taken on entering the assessment centre.

Hand sanitiser will be provided at the entrance of the assessment centre and at the reception desk for you to use.

Please sign in at the reception desk. If you need to hand in documents (for example identity documents, or medical information) please give these to the receptionist.

You may have to wait before you can go into your assessment. The assessment centre staff will tell you where you can wait.

Where possible the assessment provider will aim to make the most of the supply of fresh air in the assessment room. For example, they may open windows or doors but will always ensure your privacy and safety is maintained.

The assessment provider will have toilets available. Please follow the instructions on site.

6. During your assessment

There are signs on assessment room doors to show if the room is in use so no-one comes in accidentally.

We recommend that you and anyone you bring with you, keep your face covering on during the assessment. Those carrying out the assessment may wear a face mask (and sometimes other Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves and aprons).

During your assessment, the healthcare professional will observe you while you demonstrate any movements. They may need to physically examine you but they will wear more protective equipment such as an additional face shield, an apron and gloves.

If the healthcare professional suspects you, or anyone with you, may have COVID-19 symptoms, the healthcare professional will stop the assessment. You will be asked to leave the assessment centre and follow NHS guidance.

7. Leaving the assessment centre

The healthcare professional will make sure the corridor is clear before you leave the room.

Hand sanitiser will be provided for you to use at the assessment centre exit.

You will be asked to leave the building as soon as possible, to reduce the number of people in the assessment centre at any one time.