The changes are hoped to improve the process
The UK Government has revealed a plan to overhaul the handling of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims, aiming to cut down the backlog of Work Capability Assessments (WCA). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that this initiative will start in April, with the intention of enabling health professionals to conduct more face-to-face assessments and undertake additional WCA reassessments.
Currently, the time between PIP award reviews can be as short as nine months, and most claimant see no change in their award after review. This is set to shift for the majority of PIP claimants aged 25 and above, with the minimum duration for a new claim extended to three years, and potentially up to five years at their subsequent review if they continue to qualify.
These operational adjustments are separate from the Timms Review, which will examine the role of PIP, its assessment procedure, and the criteria used to assist disabled individuals in achieving better health, improved living standards, and increased independence. This new measure will take effect from April, aligning with Universal Credit adjustments that reduce the disparity between what people receive for unemployment versus long-term sickness.
Officials say these changes fulfil a promise made by the UK Government in the Pathways to Work Green Paper to ramp up face-to-face assessments, after they were put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Contracts agreed by the previous government stipulated that 80 per cent of assessments should be conducted virtually, reports the Daily Record.
Face-to-face assessments are set to become far more common, with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) evaluations jumping from a mere 6 per cent in 2024 (57,000 cases) to 30 per cent of all assessments. Similarly, Work Capability Assessments (WCA) will leap from 13 per cent in 2024 (74,000 cases) to 30 per cent across the board.
The UK Government insists it’s overhauling what it describes as the “reforming the broken welfare system it inherited” through these changes. The strategy involves lengthening the intervals between reassessments to determine whether a claimant’s condition still warrants PIP eligibility.
This approach is designed to liberate health professionals, enabling them to conduct more face-to-face evaluations and complete additional WCA reassessments. Officials emphasised the importance of this process, stating: “Reassessments play an important role in taking account of how changes in health conditions and disabilities affect people over time.”
The implication is that regular reviews ensure the system remains responsive to peoples’ evolving circumstances. The financial implications are substantial. These measures are projected to deliver savings of £1.9 billion to UK taxpayers by the close of 2030/31.
This comes hand-in-hand with employment initiatives targeting sick or disabled people, including the Connect to Work programme and the deployment of 1,000 additional work coaches to provide support. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden defended the reforms, saying: “We’re committed to reforming the welfare system we inherited, which for too long has written off millions as too sick to work.”
He continued: “That is why we are ramping up the number of assessments we do face-to-face and taking action to tackle the inherited backlog of people waiting for a Work Capability Assessment.” McFadden concluded by noting: “These reforms will allow us to save £1.9 billion, creating a welfare state that supports those who need it while helping people into work and delivering fairness to the taxpayer.”
