DWP wastes money by reassessing amputees for PIP

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is wasting money by reassessing amputees in case their condition has improved.

A damning report by anti-poverty charity, Z2K, has uncovered that hundreds of thousands of disabled people endure unnecessarily gruelling Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reassessments, despite their conditions being lifelong or progressive.

The Prove It Again report found that 86% of amputees were given fixed-term PIP awards, meaning they’re required to undergo regular reassessment. These reassessments determine whether someone’s disability or condition has changed.

Other conditions given fixed-rate awards include 62% of claimants with cerebral palsy, 73% with learning disabilities, 61% with Parkinson’s disease, 89% with multiple sclerosis and 83% with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Samuel Thomas, senior policy advisor at Z2K, said:

Disabled people should not have to keep proving the same thing over and over again when their condition is not going to improve. Routine PIP reassessments are causing needless anxiety, hardship and bureaucracy, with little evidence that they are saving money.

DWP tries to force disabled people off benefits

The reality is, the DWP wants to know whether someone’s condition has improved so they can reduce their benefits.

It’s absolutely absurd that amputees are being forced into demeaning reassessments to see if there’s been any ‘improvement’. Someone’s leg isn’t going to grow back.

The charity also found that 74% of reassessments resulted in no change to someone’s benefit entitlement. But for many, they couldn’t actually get more money as 28% of disabled people whose award stayed the same already received the highest level of PIP. Therefore, all that happened was that severely sick or disabled people were put under even more stress. 

DWP PIP increases have nosedived since Labour took over. Between November 2025 and January 2026, less than one in 15 PIP claimants saw an increase in benefits after reassessment.

The PIP process

There are two types of PIP awards: fixed and ongoing. Anyone who receives an ongoing award is left alone for 10 years, then has to complete a six-page form to say whether their condition has changed at all.

Anyone on a fixed-term award must be reassessed every few years and fill out the initial form again, which is more than 40 pages long.

Forms aren’t kept on file, so you can’t just comment ‘No change’ — you must detail your condition in excruciating detail, including whether it makes you incontinent. You then will be reassessed by an often unsympathetic assessor, who is often not trained in safeguarding.

One disabled person told Z2K that the review process made them feel like they were in a criminal court.

…like I was being charged with crimes against being a disabled person or impersonating a disabled person.

They added:

It leaves me feeling like less of a person. Another reminder of everything I can’t do. Instead of being allowed dignity to live my life as I know how, I’m put through an ordeal.

DWP ignores guidance to force people into work

The DWP’s own guidance states that anyone who identifies with these descriptions should be given ongoing awards and spared reassessment:

• A level of functional ability which is not likely to change in the long-term
• High levels of functional impairment which are only likely to increase

However, just 7% of new claimants receive an ongoing PIP award.

Whilst PIP isn’t an out-of-work benefit, people fear that without an ongoing award, they could be forced into unsuitable work. This is a valid concern when the government constantly includes PIP claimants into out-of-work statistics.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) found that PIP claimants are less likely to try to work because they’re scared it will be used against them.

A JRF survey on barriers to accessing work support revealed that 70% of people receiving work-related disability benefits were worried that starting work would trigger a change of circumstances for PIP.

A DWP memo confirmed that while entering work won’t trigger an award review, decisionmakers can decide to do one if they fancy.

Recommendations from Z2K

One good thing is that the DWP is extending the reassessment period from two to three years, increasing to five at a person’s next review.

However, this isn’t for the claimant’s benefit. No. It’s because the DWP can’t handle the amount of reassessments it must complete.

Z2K has recommended that any claimant whose main disability or health condition is lifelong or progressive should be given an ongoing award.

The charity also says there should be a more streamlined reassessment process. If someone’s condition or needs haven’t changed, they shouldn’t be subjected to a review.

These are great recommendations, but it’s highly likely the DWP will completely ignore them. It’s too busy pretending that disabled people are being included in its farcical review to actually do anything that would benefit them.

Featured image via Ron Lach

By Rachel Charlton-Dailey

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