Proposed changes: Mobilising
The mobilising descriptor concerns ‘Mobilising unaided by another person with or without a walking stick, manual wheelchair or other aid’ and also going up or down two steps. At the moment, a person who cannot mobilise more than 50 metres scores 15 points and will also be found to have LCWRA.
1. Mobilising
The government are suggesting three options for change:
- remove the Mobilising activity entirely (both LCW and LCWRA)
- amend the LCWRA Mobilising descriptor to bring it in line with the equivalent descriptor in PIP – replacing 50 metres with 20 metres for both descriptors within the LCWRA activity
- reduce the points awarded for the LCW Mobilising descriptors.
Proposed changes: Absence or loss of bowel/bladder control
At the moment, a claimant who loses control of their bladder or bowel at least once a month will score 15 points and have LCW but will not be found to have LCWRA.
Instead, they will need to show that the loss of control happens once a week to have LCWRA.
2. Absence or loss of bowel/bladder control
The government are suggesting three options for change:
- remove the Absence or loss of bowel/bladder control (Continence) activity entirely (both LCW and LCWRA)
- amend the LCWRA Absence or loss of bowel/bladder control (Continence) descriptor so that claimants are required to experience symptoms ‘daily’ rather than ‘weekly’
- reduce the points awarded for the LCW Absence or loss of bowel/bladder control (Continence) descriptors
3. Proposed changes: Coping with Social Engagement due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder
If you can never engage in social contact, this leads to a score of 15 points, which will also result in you being found to have LCWRA.
The government are suggesting two options for change:
- remove the Coping with Social Engagement activity entirely (both LCW and LCWRA)
- reduce the points awarded for LCW descriptors for Coping with Social Engagement
Proposed changes: Getting about
This activity concerns getting to places outside your home without having someone accompany you. If you can’t even get to
familiar places then you score 15 points and will be found to have LCW. However, this activity cannot lead to you being found to have LCWRA.
4. Getting about
The government are suggesting two options for change:
- remove the Getting About activity entirely
- reduce the points awarded for LCW descriptors for Getting About
Proposed Changes: Substantial Risk
The substantial risk rule applies if there would be a substantial risk to the mental or physical health of anyone if you were found not to have LCWRA. This is often the only way that people with severe mental health conditions, including those at risk of self-harm, can enter the LCWRA group.
5. Substantial Risk
The government are suggesting two options for change:
- Remove the rule entirely, so anyone who is at risk would be placed in the LCW group instead, where they may be subject to sanctions.
- Alter the rule so that it would not apply where a person could take part in tailored or a minimal level of work preparation activity, and/or where reasonable adjustments could be put in place to enable that person to engage with work preparation.