The DWP is being blamed for the huge delays some PIP claimants are facing. Benefits experts say the department is largely to blame for delays that see some PIP reviews take an average of more than nine months to sort.
Personal Independence Payments are notorious for the intensive assessment process involved. And this is usually repeated whenever a person’s benefit amount has to be reviewed.
This can be due to their circumstances changing, their fixed-term coming to an end or randomly if the DWP suspects fraud. PIP is the main benefit supplied to disabled Brits to help them cover the cost of their disability.
The prospect of undergoing the assessments is enough to put many claimants on edge, but extending their concerns is an eight-month-long wait, on average, for a decision. Since the General Election Labour has said it wants to address these delays and other backlogs within the PIP system by hiring more health professionals and case managers.
However, recent figures may reveal this isn’t where the speedbumps causing these backlogs lie. In response to fellow Labour MP Mary Glindon’s written parliamentary question, disability minister Stephen Timms revealed that the median wait for a review initiated by the DWP is 290 days, a little over 9 months, if it’s referred to an assessment provider.
Those that aren’t referred to an assessment provider face a similar 252 day, or eight-month, wait despite having fewer steps to make a decision on the review. Benefit information provider Benefits and Work have latched on to this final figure, suggesting eight months of the waiting time is down to the DWP alone.
They claimed: “It is the department, rather than assessment providers, who are largely to blame for the huge delays in PIP review decisions.” Additionally, reviews prompted by claimants when they report a change of circumstances were found to have a median wait time of just 69 days.
Elsewhere in his written response, the minister assured: “We make every effort to conduct award reviews as soon as possible. Most decisions are made without the need for an assessment by a Healthcare Professional.”
However, the benefits guidance platform has little faith in these claims as the backlog sat at 392,000 outstanding PIP award reviews as of May 2024 and the DWP is facing a number of other urgent tasks. The benefits system as a whole is set to undergo a slew of changes over the next few months, both prompted by the change in government and legacy changes such as the migration to Universal Credit which has been ongoing since 2022.
The site noted: “With all their other projects, it seems unlikely that urgently tackling the delays in planned PIP reviews will be much of a priority, in spite of the difficulties and uncertainty that it causes to hundreds of thousands of claimants.” Minister Timms also said in his note that any claimants with outstanding reviews will continue to claim their existing payments – and said if they are due an increase, this will be backdated appropriately.
The DWP has been approached for comment.
What is PIP?
According to gov.uk, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with extra living costs “if you have both:
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“a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
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“difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition
“You can get PIP even if you’re working, have savings or are getting most other benefits.”
How does PIP work?
According to the gov.uk website, there are 2 parts to PIP. These are:
- a daily living part – if you need help with everyday tasks
- a mobility part – if you need help with getting around
The site says: “Whether you get one or both parts and how much you get depends on how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around. If you’re nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness), you’ll automatically get the daily living part. Whether you get the mobility part depends on your needs. Find out how to claim and how much you’ll get if you’re nearing the end of life.”
What would qualify me for the daily living part of PIP?
You might get it if you need help with:
- managing your medicines or treatments
- reading
- dressing and undressing
- managing your money
- talking, listening and understanding
- socialising and being around other people
- using the toilet
- preparing food
- eating and drinking
- washing and bathing
What would qualify me for the mobility part of PIP?
The gov.uk website says: “You do not have to have a physical disability to get the mobility part. You might also be eligible if you have difficulty getting around because of a cognitive or mental health condition, like anxiety.”
You might get it if you need assistance with:
- leaving your home
- physically moving around
- working out a route and following it