A DWP assessment change has been proposed for Personal Independence Payment to stop “cost-saving” cuts to people’s benefits. More than 3.6 million are currently receiving PIP from the DWP, with awards lasting for a set period – ranging from nine months to 10 years – before a review of the claim is carried out.
DWP statistics show that during the eight years from June 2016, 277,000 claimants whose claims were reviewed lost their PIP after a new assessment, 35,000 were told their PIP was being cancelled after not turning up at the assessment, and 250,000 had their PIP stopped based on the forms they filled in, without even having a new health assessment.
Another 264,000 claimants saw their PIP payments reduced as a result of a review, while just over 500,000 were awarded a higher amount and almost 1.4 million saw their PIP kept at the same level. In October 2024 alone – the most recent month recorded – over 5,250 people had their PIP stopped after their claim was reviewed and 1,796 saw their payments cut, while almost 5,600 were told they would be getting a higher amount and 34,000 people saw no change in their award.
READ MORE:
PIP can also be reviewed if someone reports that their circumstances have changed, such as their existing disability worsening or if a new medical condition has developed. For those notifying the DWP of such a change, more than 66,000 claimants have had their PIP claim stopped completely in the past eight years, 35,000 were given a reduced amount, 325,000 were awarded a higher rate of payment and 261,000 were told they’d still be getting the same amount.
But campaigners say these new assessments of people’s disability benefits are “dehumanising” and “distressing” and should be stopped. Medical evidence should be used to determine PIP entitlement instead, they propose.
A new petition on the UK Government and Parliament website proposes that the DWP “stop DWP repeating PIP assessments for disabled people.” It’s been instigated by Gary Robinson and will run until June next year, with Mr Robinson stating: “Disabled people need support and respect. We think repeated investigations are dehumanising, and interrogation-like interviews and repeated legal battles to prove entitlements to benefits are distressing.
“People with genuine disabilities have to repeatedly provide doctors’ notes, letters and prescription information (sometimes at personal cost) simply to prove their ongoing entitlement. We believe a decision to end entitlement should be a medical decision, not a cost-saving exercise.”
If it gathers 10,000 signatures, the petition will receive an official government response, and if it reaches 100,000, it will be considered for debate in the House of Commons. The DWP has already said that PIP awards need to be reviewed to ensure the right level of support is provided and that it will continue to consider possible changes to health assessments.
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disabilities, said at a parliamentary debate last month that the DWP was re-examining the application and assessment process for the benefit. Labour is set to announce reforms to health and disability benefits in spring 2025.
Sir Stephen said: “The application process for Personal Independence Payment is being kept under review. An online process is being trialled and we are looking at further potential improvements.”
Asked by Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome “why PIP reassessments are being scheduled for people with incurable disabilities and terminal illnesses”, Sir Stephen explained: ” It is, of course, important that we keep the awards under review, because sometimes they go up as well as down and we want to ensure that the support being provided is appropriate for the claimant. We also need to ensure that the process is accessible – I agree with him about that. Help can be provided to manage the assessment process.”
Debbie Abrahams, the new chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, pointed out that the charity Sense says over half the people it surveyed feel humiliated by the PIP assessment process. Sir Stephen replied: “My hon. Friend raises a very important point. Indeed, she and I worked on an excellent Select Committee report on health assessments for benefits, which provides some very important and valuable recommendations to the Department.
“We will continue to look at this issue. Clearly, it is vital that the process should be accessible to people with sight impairments or any other impairments. I completely agree with her.”
Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community for the latest updates. You can find out more in our Money Saving Newsletter, which is sent out daily with all the updates you need to know on pensions, PIP, Universal Credit, benefits, finances, bills, and shopping discounts.