The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have confirmed that they will automatically be extending existing Personal Independence Payments (PIP) that are awaiting review from the current three months, up to a year.
The DWP also stated that they will do this 35 days before the award is due to end. The Daily Record reports that they will also issue letters to affected claimants by the end of October.
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In June of this year, the former Secretary of State for the DWP and now Deputy Prime Minister, Therese Coffey, told a cross-party panel of MPs that new claims for the award had reached "record" levels and had "never been so high." However, the knock-on effect of this increase in demand for the disability benefit has resulted in a backlog of people waiting on an assessment.
According to research conducted by Glasgow South West MP, and member of the Work and Pensions Committee - Chris Stephens MP - there are now 312,470 people across the UK awaiting a health assessment. Confirming the change, a DWP spokesperson said: “We will automatically be extending existing PIP claims awaiting review by up to 12 months and will do this 35 days before their end date.
“The longer extension provides greater certainty for claimants and in particular, helps with continuing to access other support, for example a Blue Badge.
“At present, awards awaiting review have a three month extension, repeated as needed, 28 days before their end date and people can request a letter confirming this and stating their continuing entitlement.”
The DWP have also confirmed that they will be sending letters out from the end of October to state the length of the extended award. The DWP spokesperson explained: “From 31 October, a letter will be sent automatically to claimants confirming continuing entitlement for up to 12 months. Until then, we will continue to update claimants by text message that their award reviews have been extended. Hope this clarifies.”
If existing claimants need a PIP letter confirming the extension before October 31, they should contact the enquiry helpline on 0800 1214433.
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