DWP Policy Group Freedom of Information Team
e-mail
: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
Our Ref: FOI2019/18881
5 June 2019
Dear Andy McCarthy,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FoI) request received on 16 May. You asked:
1.Please provide a template of the letter provided to Universal Credit claimants informing them
of the outcome of their Work Capability Assessment- which I believe is called a UCD81.
2.Please confirm if there is guidance on what information is to be included within this decision
letter as standard practice.
3.Is an explanation given as to how that decision was reached within the decision letter? For
instance, does the decision letter provide a breakdown of which schedule 6 or 7 descriptors
the claimant satisfies?
DWP Response:
I can confirm that we hold some of the recorded information to respond to your request.
Please see attached the three templates of letters provided to Universal Credit Claimants
informing them of the outcome of their Work Capability Assessment.
All three of these notifications are template documents with minimal opportunity for
modification with respect to the claimant’s individual circumstances. As such there would not
be any references in Guidance to cover how these templates are to be completed.
However further guidance on Work Capability Assessment outcomes can be accessed on the
House of Commons library via the following link -
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/WCA_outcomes_v10.0.pdf
As you can see from looking at the attached letters; the recipient can request for a more
detailed explanation of how the decision was reached. Information on this process is contained
with each letter.
If you have any queries about this letter, please contact me quoting the reference number
above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP Policy FoI Team
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Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailin
g freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, SW1H 9NA. Any
review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office for a decision. General y, the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
We
b: ico.org.uk/Global/contact_us or telephone 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745