The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has given details of planned changes to the way people with "severe and lifelong health conditions" are assessed for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Minister for Disabled People Tom Pursglove shared the update in a written response to Labour MP Dan Carden, who asked DWP what steps were being taken to ensure that people with severe and lifelong conditions "are not subjected to unnecessary reassessments" when it comes to PIP and other benefits. The minister confirmed that the department is currently working to reduce reassessments for claimants who fall into this category.
Mr Pursglove said in his response: "We want to reduce unnecessary assessments for people with severe and lifelong health conditions which will not improve. We announced in the 'Future Support: Health and Disability Green Paper' that we will test a new Severe Disability Group (SDG), so that those with severe and lifelong conditions can benefit from a simplified process to access PIP, ESA and UC, without needing to go through a face-to-face assessment or frequent reassessments."
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The minister added that DWP will consider the results of this test once it has been carried out, which will influence the next stages of the plans. He also gave details of the work carried out by the department to reduce reassessments so far.
"We have made changes to help reduce the frequency of repeat assessments some people need to go through on Personal Independence Payment," Mr Pursglove said. "We have also ensured that people who receive the highest level of support, and whose needs will not improve, together with most people over State Pension age, receive an ongoing award of PIP with a 'light touch' review at the 10-year point.
"For the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), the Severe Conditions Criteria (SCC) were introduced in 2017 and are applied during the WCA for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and the additional health-related amount of Universal Credit (UC). They identify claimants who have severe disabling lifelong conditions whose level of function would always mean that they are unlikely ever to be able to move into work.
"Claimants who meet the SCC are not routinely reassessed," he added. The minister said that the testing of a new Severe Disability Group (SDG) will help to ensure that people receive access to the financial support they need "as quickly as possible", as well as simplifying the assessment process for people with severe and lifelong health conditions.
Last month, DWP issued clarification on the way Personal Independence Payments (PIP) are assessed after an MP raised the issue in a written question to Parliament. Labour MP Dr Rupa Huq asked DWP what assessments have been made on the "potential merits" of removing the 20-metre rule, informal observations and the 50% rule from PIP assessments.
Mr Pursglove said of the 20-metre rule: "The enhanced rate of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) mobility component was always intended to be for those 'unable' or 'virtually unable' to walk. The 20-metre distance was introduced to distinguish those whose mobility is significantly more limited than others and who face even greater barriers on a day-to-day basis."
He added: "Individuals who can walk more than 20 metres can still receive the enhanced rate of the Mobility component if they cannot do so safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly or in a reasonable time period. We believe the current assessment criteria, including the 20-metre rule, are the best way of identifying people whose physical mobility is most limited and there are no immediate plans to make changes."
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