The Department for Work and Pensions has paved the way for free frequent PIP health assessments after charities called the current application process as “long, complicated, and emotionally distressing”
Nearly four million people who get Personal Independence Payments will benefit from less frequent health assessments under new changes.
The Department for Work and Pensions has set out regulations which allow it to move all existing PIP award reviews to a minimum of three years for a new claim, rising to five years at their next review if they remain entitled. The new longer time frame has already started to apply to many brand new PIP claims.
According to the government, the changes to new and existing PIP claims will deliver savings of around £300million overall, with the changes to existing customers making up around £230million of this. The DWP said the measure aims to free up health professionals to carry out more face-to-face assessments and deliver more reassessments.
PIP is the main disability benefit for people of working age in the UK. People may be able to qualify for PIP if they need extra help with everyday tasks due to an illness, disability or mental health condition. Eligibility to PIP isn’t based on people’s conditions, but rather how it affects their life.
Under changes that came into effect from April 6, health reviews have been extended to a minimum of three years for the majority of new PIP claimants aged 25 and over, rising to five years at their next review if they remain entitled.
Since 2016 in England and Wales, almost 60% of award reviews resulted in no change.
The changes are separate to a review being conducted by disability minister Sir Stephen Timms, which will look at the role of PIP, eligibility for the daily living and mobility components and assessment process.
Commenting on the new changes, Sir Stephen said: “Reforming the welfare system so that it better meets the needs of disabled people is a priority for the government. A major part of this is ensuring that Pip is fit and fair for the future – and we are taking an important step to improve the system through new legislation, which will reduce the frequency of reviews for many existing Pip customers.
“This will make the system more efficient by freeing up the capacity of health professionals to tackle our inherited assessment backlog, while removing unnecessary pressure from disabled claimants whose conditions rarely change at each review.”
He added: “We are also increasing face-to-face assessments for Pip from 6% in 2024 to 30% of all assessments. Additionally, my review is looking into how we can bolster Pip for the future, and we have opened a call for evidence for people to share their views on how Pip should be reformed.”
Harriet Edwards, director of influencing at the national disability charity Sense, said: “The process of applying for disability benefits is long, complicated, and emotionally distressing, and so we welcome these plans to help disabled people go through fewer assessments in the future.
“Sense research found over half of disabled PIP claimants with complex needs felt humiliated during their assessment; clearly this process needs to urgently change.
“It’s vital that the Timms Review continues to work with disabled people to make the application process for PIP fairer and less distressing. But most importantly, what disabled people with complex needs require is reassurance that the government won’t make further cuts to benefits that provide a lifeline for them.”
Fazilet Hadi, Disability Rights UK’s head of policy, said: “Reducing the frequency of PIP reviews makes sense, both for disabled people and DWP. So often our needs remain the same, and reviews just cause anxiety. It is of concern that face-to-face reviews will increase, as these can be physically and emotionally challenging.”
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