A Public Accounts Committee report has criticised ‘unacceptable’ delays after some claimants were left waiting more than a year for their PIP claim to be processed
Applicants for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) who are experiencing lengthy delays in receiving a decision could get a boost when their support is finally approved. A recent report from the Public Accounts Committee labelled these delays as “unacceptable”, with some claimants waiting over a year for their claims to be processed.
However, those enduring such extended waits could be entitled to lump sum payments if their PIP claim is successful. This is because PIP is backdated to the date of initial contact with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), not the date of approval.
Charity Turn2Us, that helps people across the UK with financial hardship, explained: “The payment should be backdated to when you first contacted the Department for Work and Pensions to claim PIP. If this has not happened, you should contact the Department for Work and Pensions and ask them to correct it.”
This means that claimants could receive a “significant sum” in their initial PIP payment, depending on how long they have been waiting for a decision. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here
The charity also pointed out that some people may be offered the option of receiving this backdated payment either as a lump sum or in instalments. These backdated payments are not considered income for other benefits, so your eligibility for other support will not be affected, reports the Mirror.
Furthermore, these payments won’t be counted as savings or capital for the purposes of other benefits, but only for the first year after payment. This means that if you choose to receive instalments over a period longer than a year, it may start being counted as savings.
However, according to the charity, back payments above £5,000 will not be treated as savings even after the initial 12-month period.
From April, the weekly PIP rates will rise to:
- £76.70 for standard Daily Living element
- £114.60 for enhanced Daily Living element
- £30.30 for standard Mobility element
- £80 for enhanced Mobility element
Recipients claiming both enhanced components at these rates will receive more than £10,000 per year. This means claimants identified in the Public Accounts Committee report who experienced delays of over a year for their PIP decision could be owed a significant backdated sum.
The report disclosed that throughout 2024 to 2025, only 51% of claims were processed within 75 working days, falling short of the DWP’s objective to handle three quarters of claims within this period.
The committee noted: “The department does not have an adequate plan to improve this in the short term.”
A DWP spokesperson commented: “We always aim to make Pip award decisions as quickly as possible, and the Timms Review is looking at Pip as a whole to make sure it is fit and fair for the future.”
