I was speaking to a supervisor at our local benefit delivery centre yesterday. She was insisting that a claimant of Incapacity Credits/Income Support can have their Personal Capability Assessment started only 4 weeks after they have made their Income Support claim.

I can't find anything to support this. Anyone know better than me?

From the top of my head, there are three situations where a PCA can be done at the outset of claim for IS/IB/Credits:

1) client does not satisfy the own occupation test;
2) client has been on SSP and has reached the 29th week of incapacity for work;
2) client has failed PCA within the last six months and is claiming for the same disease or disability which has not significantly deteriorated.

In the first and second cases, benefit is paid whilst the PCA is pending, but in the third it is not. In all cases, there is nothing referring to 'four weeks'

I'm not sure about the connection with the pathways to work scheme, but the first WFI is only due from the 8th week of a claim.

If none of these situations apply then I'm afraid I don't know...