An article in the Lancs Live online newsletter states that an estimated 628,000 people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for disabilities and long-term physical and mental health conditions have had their claims stopped. Over the same period, a further 300,000 have seen their benefits reduced.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) apparently reviews all PIP claims after a predetermined period set at the time of each application being approved. Additional unscheduled reviews can be conducted if there is a reported change in circumstances, typically when an individual’s health deteriorates due to an existing impairment or a new medical issue arises.
Currently, around 3.6 million people in the UK receive PIP from the DWP, with awards approved for a specific period – ranging from nine months to 10 years – before a review is carried out to determine whether it will stop, reduce, increase or continue at the same level.
DWP data reveals that during the eight years from 2016, 628,000 claims were stopped following an end-of-award review or change-of-circumstances review. For those whose claims were up for review after a fixed term, 277,000 claimants lost their PIP after a new assessment, and a further 35,000 were informed their PIP was being cancelled because they failed to attend the appointment.
A further 250,000 people had their PIP stopped based on the forms they completed, without being asked to attend a new health assessment, reports Birmingham Live. Furthermore, 264,000 claimants experienced a reduction in their PIP payments following a review, while just over 500,000 were granted a higher amount and nearly 1.4 million maintained the same level of PIP.
In October 2024 alone – the most recent month for which data is available – more than 5,250 individuals had their PIP discontinued after a review of their claim, and 1,796 saw their payments reduced, while almost 5,600 were informed they would receive a higher amount and 34,000 people experienced no change in their award.
With complaints raised about these reassessments being “dehumanising” and “distressing”, the DWP is facing calls to make improvements. Campaigners are asking for an end to “repeat assessments” and say continued entitlement to PIP “should be a medical decision, not a cost-saving exercise.”
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disabilities, advised that the application and assessment processes were being reconsidered with a view to improvements as part of the “fundamental reforms” to health and disability benefits to be set out by the Labour Government in spring 2025. However, this could include restrictions on eligibility for PIP.
You’ll remember from an earlier blog that I quoted a statement from Anela Anwar, chief executive of anti-poverty charity Z2K who said: “We need to see a health and disability benefits system that provides security and support, not one that pushes disabled people into deep poverty and leaves them at risk of sanctions.”
You can read the full story here.
Description of cartoon for those using screen reading software
A wheelchair user is sat alongside a giant spinning wheel with rows of flashing lights around it. The face of the wheel has been split into segments which are marked as ‘impose sanctions’, ‘stop all benefits’, ‘go back to start’, ‘accused of fraud’, ‘Raid bank account’ and ‘deleted claim’. The wheel has the name ‘wheel of misfortune – department of work and pensions PIP assessment’ printed upon it. The disabled person is holding a lever which, when pulled, will spin the wheel until it stops with a large pointer aimed at one of the segments. Standing alongside is a man in a grey suit wearing a name tag with DWP printed upon it. He is saying: “You’ve got to admit that this is much more fun than the usual boring assessment!”
Crippen Cartoons 