The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has rejected proposals calling for an end to award reviews for people on Personal Independence Payment (PIP). More than 12,500 people have signed the online petition, created by Gary Robinson, who argues “disabled people need support and respect” adding “repeated investigations are dehumanising, and interrogation-like interviews and repeated legal battles to prove entitlements to benefits are distressing”.
In its written response on the petitions-parliament website, the DWP said they and the Assessment Providers (APs) recognise attending a PIP assessment “could be a stressful experience, which is why they do not conduct face-to-face, telephone or video assessments where there is enough paper evidence to determine benefit entitlement, including on a review of an existing award”.
DWP also stresses entitlement to PIP payments of between £28.70 and £184.30 each week is assessed on the “basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself”.
The Department continued: “Key to the benefit is an objective assessment, which allows us to assess individuals’ needs accurately and consistently. People can have different circumstances and be affected in different ways by the same condition, so the assessment measures the impact of a person’s health condition or impairment on their needs, rather than focusing solely on the health condition or impairment itself.
“Once someone has been awarded PIP, which can be paid at one of eight rates, that award will either be reviewed or the claimant will be required to submit a new claim. Reviews are a key feature of the benefit and ensure that payments accurately match the current needs of claimants and ensure we hold up to date information.
“Award durations are based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from nine months to an on-going award which is subject to a light touch review at the 10-year point.”
The DWP also explained where needs are unlikely to change and for those on the highest level of support whose needs will not improve, claimants receive an on-going award with a light touch review at the 10-year point.
Claimants who have a light touch review have a simplified, short form, focussing on how a claimant’s ability to do certain everyday tasks and move around may have changed.
DWP said: “In most of these cases we do not expect an assessment with a healthcare professional will be required unless there has been a change of circumstances which affects those abilities.”
The Department also said evidence plays an important role in coming to decisions on claims or award reviews, ensuring it comes to the “right outcome first time, and with less likelihood of the decision being disputed”.
Health professionals
DWP said Health Professionals (HPs) employed by the APs are “trained to treat claimants sensitively, fairly and with respect” and are professional clinicians who use their skills in disability analysis, informal observation and examination, to provide an impartial, independent and factual assessment to the Department.
DWP explained: “The PIP assessment is not a medical assessment requiring the assessor to diagnose a condition or its severity and recommend treatment options – the focus is on ensuring that the HPs are experts in disability analysis, focusing on the effects of health conditions and impairments on the individual’s daily life.
“We work extensively with suppliers to make improvements to guidance, training, and audit procedures to ensure a quality service. The department is clear that suppliers should strive for 100 per cent accuracy.”
Health and disability benefit reforms
The UK Government has said it is committed to reforming the system of health and disability benefits so it promotes and enables employment among as many people as possible.
DWP said: “The system must also work to support disabled people to live independently. It is also vital to ensure that the system is financially sustainable in the long term.
“We are working to develop proposals for reform in the months ahead and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement later this year. The Green Paper will include proposals intended to enable further improvement in assessment quality.”
You can read the full DWP response to the ‘Stop DWP repeating PIP assessments for disabled people’ on the petitions-parliament website here.
At 100,000 signatures of support, the petition would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament.