Work Capability Assessment - Limited Capability for Work Related Activity

This is the part of the Work Capability Assessment is to determine whether you are:

• placed in the 'Support Group' for Contributory/New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• considered to have Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) for Universal Credit.

The DWP uses a list of examples of everyday activities and tasks, known as descriptors. If one or more of these describes your situation, you might be put into the Support Group (or be classed as having Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity if you're on Universal Credit). 

Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity Descriptors

Question 35 - Conveying food or drink to the mouth.

• Cannot convey food or drink to the claimant’s own mouth without receiving physical assistance from someone else;
• Cannot convey food or drink to the claimant’s own mouth without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort;
• Cannot convey food or drink to the claimant’s own mouth without receiving regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant’s physical presence; or
• Owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, fails to convey food or drink to the claimant’s own mouth without receiving physical assistance from someone else; or regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant’s presence.

Questions 36-37. Chewing or swallowing food or drink.

• Owing to a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, fails to chew or swallow food or drink; or chew or swallow food or drink without regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant’s presence
• Cannot chew or swallow food or drink;
• Cannot chew or swallow food or drink without repeatedly stopping, experiencing breathlessness or severe discomfort;
• Cannot chew or swallow food or drink without repeatedly receiving regular prompting given by someone else in the claimant’s presence.

Questions 38-42. Mobilising unaided by another person with or without a walking stick, manual wheelchair or other aid if such aid is normally, or could reasonably be worn or used.

Cannot either:

• Mobilise more than 50 metres on level ground without stopping in order to avoid significant discomfort or exhaustion; or
• Repeatedly mobilise 50 metres within a reasonable timescale because of significant discomfort or exhaustion.

Questions 43-46. Transferring from one seated position to another.

Cannot move between one seated position and another seated position located next to one another without receiving physical assistance from another person.

Questions 47-50. Reaching.

Cannot raise either arm as if to put something in the top pocket of a coat or jacket.

Questions 51-55. Picking up and moving or transferring by the use of the upper body and arms.

Cannot pick up and move a 0.5 litre carton full of liquid.

Questions 56-58. Manual dexterity.

Cannot either:

• Press a button, such as a telephone keypad; or
• Turn the pages of a book with either hand.

Questions 59-61. Making self understood through speaking, writing, typing, or other means normally, or could reasonably be, used, unaided by another person.

Cannot convey a simple message, such as the presence of a hazard.

Questions 62-65. Understanding communication by hearing, lip reading, reading 16 point print or using any aid if reasonably used.

Cannot understand a simple message due to sensory impairment, such as the location of a fire escape.

Questions 66-69. Getting around safely

Cannot get around safely, including crossing a road or visiting an unfamiliar place

Questions 70-72.  Absence or loss of control whilst conscious leading to extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or voiding of the bladder, other than enuresis (bed-wetting), despite the wearing or use of any aids or adaptations which are normally, or could reasonably be, worn or used.

At least once a week experiences:

• Loss of control leading to extensive evacuation of the bowel and/or voiding of the bladder; or
• Substantial leakage of the contents of a collecting device sufficient to require the individual to clean themselves and change clothing.

Questions 73-75. Staying conscious when awake

Cannot stay awake without fainting, fits or blackouts

Question 76-79. Learning tasks.

Cannot learn how to complete a simple task, such as setting an alarm clock, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.

Questions 80-82. Awareness of hazard.

• Reduced awareness of everyday hazards, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder, leads to a significant risk of injury to self or others; or
• Damage to property or possessions such that they require supervision for the majority of the time to maintain safety.

Questions 83-85. Initiating and completing personal action (which means planning, organisation, problem solving, prioritising or switching tasks).

Cannot, due to impaired mental function, reliably initiate or complete at least two sequential personal actions.

Questions 86-89. Coping with change.

Cannot cope with any change, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder, to the extent that day to day life cannot be managed.

Questions 90-93.Going out

Cannot cope mentally or emotionally going out.

Questions 94-97. Coping with social engagement, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.

Engagement in social contact is always precluded due to difficulty relating to others or significant distress experienced by the individual.

Questions 98-100. Appropriateness of behaviour with other people, due to cognitive impairment or mental disorder.

Has, on a daily basis, uncontrollable episodes of aggressive or disinhibited behaviour that would be unreasonable in any workplace.