Around 628,000 people receiving cash support for disabilities and long-term physical and mental health conditions through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) have seen their claim stopped, latest figures show. Another 300,000 have had their benefits reduced over the same eight-year period.
The Department for Work and Pensions reviews all PIP claims after a set time that’s decided when each application is approved. Other unscheduled reviews can be carried out if someone reports a change in their circumstances, usually when their health has worsened from an existing disability or a new medical issue arising.
Around 3.6 million people in Britain are currently receiving PIP from the DWP, with awards approved for a set period – ranging from nine months to 10 years – before a review is carried out to see if it will stop, reduce, increase or continue at the same level. Those in Scotland are being moved to a devolved Adult Disability Payment instead.
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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 and 35,000 were told their PIP was being cancelled after not turning up at the appointment. Another 250,000 people had their PIP stopped based on the forms they filled in, without being asked to attend a new health assessment.
In addition, 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.
If someone reports that their circumstances have changed, a separate review is arranged. This involves the entire PIP claim being looked at again but it may not necessarily result in increased levels of payment being offered.
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, including 52,000 who failed their assessment, 4,000 who didn’t show up for it and 10,000 whose PIP was cancelled based on paperwork alone.
Over the same period, 35,000 people who told the DWP about a change in their circumstances were given a reduced payment level, 325,000 were awarded a higher rate and 261,000 were told they’d still be getting the same amount.
In the most recent month of October 2024, the majority who reported a change ended up on the same amount (6,635 claimants), while almost 5,000 were awarded an enhanced rate of payment. Another 227 recipients saw their benefit payments lowered and nearly 500 people were told their PIP was being stopped.
With complaints raised about these reassessments being “dehumanising” and “distressing”, the DWP is facing calls to make improvements. Campaigners are calling for an end to “repeat assessments” and say continued entitlement to PIP “should be a medical decision, not a cost-saving exercise.”
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disabilities, said last month: “It is, of course, important that we keep 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.” But he conceded that the application and assessment processes were being reconsidered with a view to improvements.
Those may form part of “fundamental reforms” to health and disability benefits that will be set out by the Labour Government in spring 2025. This could include restrictions on eligibility for PIP so it’s targeted at those with long-term or severe conditions, or introducing multiple tiers of payments based on the extent of support required, in contrast to the two-tier standard or enhanced levels currently available.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said: “We have seen a situation this Government inherited on inactivity, we have seen the situation on the spiralling benefits bill with millions of people on long-term illness or disability out of work and not getting the support that they need, and that is why we are determined to fix this.
“Building on our Get Britain Working White Paper, we will be publishing a consultation in the spring on measures to ensure the system is better supporting people, including young people, to get them into work and keep them in work. The Government’s approach is going to be to tackle the root causes of this issue, but it is a massive challenge, it has built up over years.”
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