Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit for people aged over 16 and under State Pension age with a disability, long-term illness or mental or physical health condition, who need help completing daily tasks inside their home or moving around.
The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that by the end of January 2023, there were 3.25 million people across Great Britain claiming PIP. This includes over 319,000 claimants living in Scotland, however, it does not include the number of people now receiving support through the devolved Adult Disability Payment.
PIP awards are not indefinite, they can last between a few months to the maximum of 10 years - known as a ‘light touch’ review - and are in palace to ensure individuals receive the right award reflecting any changes in their condition, something the DWP recently clarified.
Liberal Democrat MP, Wendy Chamberlain, asked DWP what guidance was in place to help ensure that PIP claimants with “degenerative conditions are identified and recorded for the purposes of scheduling future reassessments”.
In a written response, DWP Minister Tom Pursglove explained a PIP assessment is conducted to determine the “needs arising from a health condition or disability” - not the condition itself.
He added that regular award reviews are a “key feature of PIP” which are in place to ensure “payments accurately match the current needs of claimants”.
However, he said when recommending an appropriate review period, assessors are asked to consider when a “significant change in functional needs is likely, giving due regard to the expected progression of a condition and whether it is likely to improve, stay the same, or worsen”.
Me Pursglove told the North East Fife MP: “It may be appropriate to set a specific review period for a claimant with a degenerative condition as, if the condition is likely to deteriorate over time, the claimant may become entitled to a higher rate of PIP.
“However, claimants with very high levels of functional impairment who are on the highest PIP awards, and whose needs are only likely to increase, should receive an ongoing award of PIP, with a light touch review at the 10-year point.”
PIP and Adult Disability Payment rates from April 10, 2023
Daily Living Component
- Enhanced: £101.75 (from £92.40)
- Standard: £68.10 (from £61.85)
Mobility Component
- Enhanced: £71.00 (from £64.50)
- Standard: £26.90 (from £24.45)
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