Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 April 2026

Correspondence with the Minister for Social Security and Disability, relating to Health and Disability Benefit Assessors: Recruitment and Retention

Summary

The Work and Pensions Committee Chair wrote to the Minister for Social Security and Disability in March 2026 regarding research into barriers to recruiting and retaining health and disability benefit assessors. The research, conducted in 2022 but published only in January 2026, found a 52% annual attrition rate and identified low salaries, lack of working flexibility, and unusual skill requirements as key issues. The Chair questioned why findings were withheld from procurement bidders, whether they informed decisions to increase face-to-face assessments, and whether workforce sustainability should be included in the Timms Review.

Key findings

Research commissioned by DWP found 52% annual attrition rate among health and disability benefit assessors and 40% of new recruits leaving during training
Research findings were deliberately not shared with bidders during the Health Assessment Advisory Service procurement period (concluded early 2023) despite research being completed in 2022
Research identified low salaries, lack of flexibility in working arrangements, and the unusual combined skill set required (healthcare professional plus benefits assessor) as barriers to recruitment and retention
Working from home arrangements expanded the potential recruitment pool to the whole of the UK and increased role attractiveness; providers without home-working attracted fewer candidates despite offering higher salaries
Department plans to increase face-to-face PIP assessments from 6% to 30% and WCA assessments from 13% to 30%, plus conduct 122,000 additional WCA reassessments; the Minister stated these increases were achievable despite research findings on home-working benefits

Government position

The government partially accepts the committee's concerns. The Minister acknowledges recruitment and retention challenges remain significant in a competitive healthcare labour market and recognises the importance of supporting assessors. However, the government defends its decision not to share research with procurement bidders, citing misalignment between research completion and procurement timetable. On the tension between planned increases to face-to-face assessments and research findings favouring home-working, the Minister states the department believes the 30% target is achievable and sustainable, claiming it is working with providers on a 'managed and sustainable way'. The government defers workforce sustainability consideration to the Timms Review's steering group rather than amending the review's terms of reference. Pay discussions are characterised as 'commercially sensitive' with providers. The Minister emphasises compliance with the Government Social Research Publication Protocol, which recommends publication within 12 weeks of finalisation.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

workforce-managementdisability-benefitspublic-administrationrecruitment-retentionemployment-standards

Key actors

Debbie Abrahams MP, Sir Stephen Timms MP, Department for Work and Pensions, Health and Disability Benefit Assessors, Assessment Providers (IAS, Capita, CHDA), Timms Review

Notable line

“The research findings were not shared with bidders during the bidding period.”

Key Quotes

“The research found, however, that the ability to work from home had made the role of HDA more attractive and House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA workpencom@parliament.uk +44 (0)20 …”
— Debbie Abrahams MP · Raising concerns about plans to increase face-to-face assessments

“… one of disabled people 's biggest complaints about the PIP assessments relates to the performance of assessors and their lack of expertise in the conditions being assessed.”
— Debbie Abrahams MP · Questioning why workforce sustainability is not in Timms Review terms of reference

“The research findings were not shared with bidders during the bidding period. The research covered the period February-April 2022, but the department needed to collate the information generated by the research, liaise with the existing assessment providers (IAS, Capita and CHDA) and agree the final report.”
— Sir Stephen Timms MP · Explaining why procurement bidders were not informed of research findings

“The department recognises the findings of the research and believes that it has set an achievable goal and timescales for the increase in face-to-face assessments with the assessment providers.”
— Sir Stephen Timms MP · Responding to questions about whether research findings informed face-to-face assessment increase decision

“Any detailed discussions about pay levels or wider changes to staff remuneration are, however, part of commercially sensitive discussions with providers.”
— Sir Stephen Timms MP · Declining to disclose assessment of salary adequacy for health and disability benefit assessors

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗