Welfare Reform Bill

I think that on that basis the date of claim—the commencement of the assessment phase—would be at the ending of SSP. I believe that that would be the start of the assessment period. People cannot avoid the assessment period by that advance claim. The noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, suggestedthat we might leave people in suspense for a whole13 weeks. We will tell people as soon as we can whether or not they have satisfied the PCA. However, they will not move on to the main phase of the benefit until the 13-week period is complete. As I said,that would be unfair. We originally estimated that13 weeks would be the period in which the majority or a significant number of claims could be satisfactorily dealt with. There are obviously resource implications in trying to backdate into that assessment phase, but issues also arise in looking at the whole balance of the benefit. I say again that at the end of the assessment phase, when people receive a work-related activity or support-group component, the level of benefit will be higher than the level that they would receive at the same point in time under the existing arrangements. That needs to be borne in mind when looking at the whole pattern of how the process works. To reiterate, the assessment phase is absolutely key to the new structure of the benefit that we are attempting to introduce with this Bill. I therefore urge the noble Lord to withdraw the amendment.