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When you make a claim for Incapacity Benefit, you will usually have a Personal Capability Assessment, unless you have a severe disability or illness that falls into an exempt category. The office dealing with your claim can give you more information about exemptions.

The Personal Capability Assessment may involve a medical examination if more information is needed about your condition before your claim can be processed.

Personal Capability Assessments

A Personal Capability Assessment is the main assessment for Incapacity Benefit claims. An approved healthcare professional, who has been trained in handling Incapacity Benefit claims, will assess your claim and provide advice to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who are responsible for benefit claims.

The healthcare professional may recommend that you attend a medical examination if they feel they need more information about your condition.

The Personal Capability Assessment applies:

Capability Reports

During your first Personal Capability Assessment, the approved healthcare professional may produce a separate Capability Report. This will contain information about your capabilities and any help you may need to support a return to work.

The Capability Report will be sent to your personal adviser who will use it in providing help to improve your employability, and to plan a path towards a return to work.

The Capability Report will not be seen by the Jobcentre plus benefit decision maker and will not be used in determining your claim to benefit.

You will be advised if a Capability Report is to be prepared in your case.

Why you've been asked to attend a medical examination

You may have been asked to attend a medical examination for a number of reasons. It is often because more medical information is needed before your claim can be approved. It doesn't mean the information you've provided on your claim form is being treated as suspicious or that your claim will be turned down.

Your benefit claim will not be turned down without you either having a medical examination or being offered one.

What is involved

When you make a claim for Incapacity Benefit, you have to complete a questionnaire about how your disability or illness affects your ability to complete everyday tasks. Your own doctor may be asked to provide a medical report.

An approved healthcare professional will consider the questionnaire and any medical reports, along with any other information you may have provided. If the healthcare professional feels that the DWP will need more information before they can make a decision on your benefit claim, they will recommend that you attend a medical examination.

The medical examination - your rights

The medical examination will usually take place at one of the Medical Examination Centres (MECs) near where you live. However, if you're unfit to travel or you live more than 90 minutes' journey from the nearest centre, the approved health care professional may visit you at home.

Atos Healthcare will contact you to arrange an appointment. If you have provided a telephone contact number, they will phone you. Otherwise they will send you a letter with an appointment date. You will be able to change it if the time doesn't suit you.

It's very important to attend your medical examination as your benefit may be affected if you don't. If for any reason you cannot attend, you should contact the MEC beforehand and arrange another appointment.

You have the right to:

You need to let the MEC know ahead of time if you want an interpreter or same-gender health care professional. They will try to find one for you, although this may not always be possible in some areas.