The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has paid out £11million to people who were previously denied Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Between April 2022 and February 2023, the DWP made payments to over 4,000 people.
The exact payout will vary per person, but the average payment based on the headline numbers would amount to around £2,750 each.
Last year the department said it was looking into claims made by deaf or hearing impaired people following a decision by the Upper Tribunal.
To be eligible to claim PIP, you will need to undergo an assessment which looks at your ability to take on daily tasks.
This includes cooking, walking, getting dressed, making food etc.
You are given points at this assessment and if you get a higher number, it can entitle you to a higher payment.
The court case related to whether people who are deaf or hearing impaired are considered to be able to wash or bathe "safely" as part of the PIP assessment.
In the 2020 court case, the Upper Tribunal ruled if a person has to remove their hearing aids or cochlear implants whilst washing or bathing then they will not be able to hear a fire alarm.
As a result, the court awarded the two claimants who took the case to court, two extra points on their PIP assessment.
This meant both received enough points to qualify for the standard rate of the PIP daily living component.
The DWP then applied the ruling to all PIP decisions from May 17 2021.
From then, the DWP would consider whether a visual alarm - such as an aid or appliance - is needed.
It also said it would also look at whether supervision would be necessary if a visual alarm was not appropriate.
The department announced it would review PIP claims made on or after August 21, 2020.
This includes those where PIP was not awarded at all.
The DWP said it would "backdate" payments to August 2020 if you were found to be eligible for PIP or if you are found to be entitled to the higher payments.
The review will only impact the Daily Living component part of PIP and not the mobility component.
If you are affected the DWP will contact you about the claim.
A DWP spokesperson said: “We support millions of people with disabilities and long-term health conditions each year and our priority is they get the benefits they are entitled to promptly and receive a supportive, compassionate service.
“We have completed the exercise but claimants can still ask us to conduct a review of their case if they think they are affected by these changes.”
What is PIP and how much is it worth?
PIP is designed to help those who have an illness, disability or mental health condition between 16 and the state pension age.
The decision on if you are eligible for this benefit is based on how your condition affects your life, rather than the illness itself.
PIP isn’t means-tested so it doesn’t matter how much you’re earning, or how much you have in savings.
PIP is made up of two components - a daily living rate and a mobility rate - and you can be entitled to both or just one of these.
From April 2023:
Daily living component
- Standard weekly rate - £68.10
- Enhanced weekly rate - £101.75
Mobility component
- Standard weekly rate - £26.90
- Enhanced weekly rate - £71
The DWP has been contacted for comment.
