ESA Allowance Limited Capability For Work Assessment

Here's a heads up on what the assessor is marking you on, please be aware they will not ask all the questions outright, from the moment your walk or wheel in you are under observation and your demeanor and the way you act is duly noted. It's also a good idea to get a lift off a family member or relative to the assessment center, this carries more weight.

A person will be considered to pass the 'limited capability for work' test if they are able to score 15 points or more under either Part 1 (Physical Conditions) or Part 2 (Mental Conditions) of the test. If a person is unable to do so, then they may still be considered to pass the test if they are able to score 15 points or more from combining their physical and mental health scores.

Whilst points scored from each heading may be added together, only the highest score from within each heading may count. For example, a person who is able to meet conditions (c) 15 points and (d) 9 points in the 'walking' test would score 15 points only not 24 points. However, a person who scores 9 points under the 'walking' test and 6 points under the 'standing and sitting test' would achieve a total score of 15 points.

Further, a person who scored 9 points under 'reaching' and 9 points under 'memory and concentration' would score 18 points. In both of the latter two examples the person would be deemed to pass the test because their overall score was at least 15 points.

Part 2: Mental, cognitive and intellectual function

12. Learning or comprehension in the completion of tasks.

1. Cannot learn or understand how to successfully complete a simple task such as setting an alarm clock, at all. 15 Points
2. Needs to witness a demonstration, given more than once on the same occasion of how to carry out a simple task before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a further demonstration of how to complete it. 15 Points
3. Needs to witness a demonstration of how to carry out a simple task, before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a verbal prompt from another person. 9 Points
4. Needs to witness a demonstration of how to carry out a moderately complex task, such as the steps involved in operating a washing machine to correctly clean clothes before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a verbal prompt from another person. 9 Points
5. Needs verbal instructions as to how to carry out a simple task before the claimant is able to learn or understand how to complete the task successfully, but would be unable, within a period of less than one week, to successfully complete the task the following day without receiving a verbal prompt from another person. 6 Points
6. None of the above apply. 0 Points

13. Awareness of hazard.

1. Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards (such as boiling water or sharp objects) would lead to daily instances of or to near avoidance of:
2. (i) injury to self or others; or
3. (ii) significant damage to property or possessions,
4. to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot successfully be managed. 15 Points
5. Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards would lead for the majority of the time to instances of or to near avoidance of:
6. (i) injury to self or others; or
7. (ii) significant damage to property or possessions,
8. to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot successfully be managed without supervision from another person. 9 Points
9. Reduced awareness of the risks of everyday hazards has led or would lead to frequent instances of or to near avoidance of:
10. (i) injury to self or to others; or
11. (ii) significant damage to property or possessions,
12. but not to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot be managed when such incidents occur. 6 Points
13. None of the above apply. 0 Points

14. Memory and concentration.

1. On a daily basis forgets or loses concentration to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot be successfully managed without receiving verbal prompting, given by someone else in the claimant's presence. 15 Points
2. For the majority of the time forgets or loses concentration to such an extent that overall day to day life cannot be successfully managed without receiving verbal prompting, given by someone else in the claimant's presence. 9 Points
3. Frequently forgets or loses concentration to such an extent that overall day to day life can only be successfully managed with pre-planning such as making a daily written list of all tasks forming part of daily life that are to be completed. 6 Points
4. None of the above apply. 0 Points

15. Execution of tasks.

1. Is unable to successfully complete any everyday task. 15 Points
2. Takes more than twice the length of time it would take a person without any form or mental disablement to successfully complete an everyday task with which the claimant is familiar. 15 Points
3. Takes more than one and a half times but no more than twice the length of time it would take a person without any form of mental disablement to successfully complete an everyday task with which the claimant is familiar. 9 Points
4. Takes one a half times the length of time it would take a person without any form of mental disablement to successfully complete an everyday task with which the claimant is familiar. 6 Points
5. None of the above apply. 0 Points

16. Initiating and sustaining personal action.

1. Cannot due to cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain any personal action (which means planning, organisation, problem solving, prioritising or switching tasks). 15 Points
2. Cannot due to cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain personal action without requiring daily verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence for the majority of the time. 15 Points
3. Cannot due to cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain personal action without requiring verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence for the majority of the time. 9 Points
4. Cannot due to cognitive impairment or a severe disorder of mood or behaviour, initiate or sustain personal action without requiring frequent verbal prompting given by another person in the claimant's presence. 6 Points
5. None of the above apply. 0 Points

17. Coping with change.

1. Cannot cope with very minor expected changes in routine to the extent that overall day to day life cannot be managed. 15 Points
2. Cannot cope with expected changes in routine (such as a pre-arranged permanent change to the routine time scheduled for a lunch break), to the extent that overall, day to day life is made significantly more difficult. 9 Points
3. Cannot cope with minor unforeseen changes in routine (such as an unexpected change of the day it is due to occur), to the extent that overall, day to day life is made significantly more difficult. 6 Points
4. None of the above apply. 0 Points

18. Getting about.

1. Cannot get to any specified place with which the claimant is, or would be, familiar. 15 Points
2. Is unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is familiar, without being accompanied by another person on each occasion. 15 Points
3. For the majority of the time is unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is familiar without being accompanied by another person. 9 Points
4. Is frequently unable to get to a specified place with which the claimant is familiar without being accompanied by another person. 6 Points
5. None of the above apply. 0 Points

19. Coping with social situations.

1. Normal activities, for example, visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are precluded because of overwhelming fear on anxiety. 15 Points
2. Normal activities, for example. visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are precluded for the majority of the time due to overwhelming fear or anxiety. 9 Points
3. Normal activities, for example, visiting new places or engaging in social contact, are frequently precluded, due to overwhelming fear or anxiety. 6 Points
4. None of the above apply. 0 Points

20. Propriety of behaviour with other people.

1. Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour, being either:
2. (i) sufficient to cause disruption to others on a daily basis: or
3. (ii) of such severity that although occurring less frequently than on a daily basis, no reasonable person would be expected to tolerate them. 15 Points
4. Has a completely disproportionate reaction to minor events or to criticism to the extent that the claimant has an extreme violent outburst leading to threatening behaviour or actual physical violence. 15 Points
5. Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour, sufficient in severity and frequency to cause disruption for the majority of the time. 9 Points
6. Has a strongly disproportionate reaction to minor events or to criticism, to the extent that the claimant cannot manage overall day to day life when such events or criticism occur. 9 Points
7. Has unpredictable outbursts of aggressive, disinhibited or bizarre behaviour sufficient to cause frequent disruption. 6 Points
8. Frequently demonstrates a moderately disproportionate reaction to minor events or to criticism but not to such an extent that the claimant cannot manage overall day to day life when such events or criticism occur. 6 Points
9. None of the above apply. 0 Points

21. Dealing with other people.

1. Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that:
2. (i) has difficulty relating to others even for brief periods such as a few hours; or
3. (ii) causes distress to others on a daily basis. 15 Points
4. The claimant misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extent of causing himself or herself significant distress on a daily basis. 15 Points
5. Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that;
6. (i) has difficulty relating to others for longer periods such as a day or two; or
7. (ii) causes distress to others for the majority of the time. 9 Points
8. The claimant misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extent of causing himself or herself significant distress to himself for the majority of the time. 9 Points
9. Is unaware of impact of own behaviour to the extent that;
10. (i) has difficulty relating to others for prolonged periods such as a week; or
11. (ii) frequently causes distress to others. 6 Points
12. The claimant misinterprets verbal or non-verbal communication to the extent of causing himself or herself significant distress on a frequent basis. 6 Points
13. None of the above apply. 0 Points