PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Social Security Benefits: Disability (8 February 2023)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to paragraph 5 on page 2 of the Institute for Fiscal Studies report, The number of new disability benefit claimants has doubled in a year, published in December 2022, whether he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the report's findings on trends in the number of people reporting that their health limits their daily activities.

Asked by:
Karin Smyth (Labour)

I have frequent discussions with other members of the Government on a range of issues in my role as Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work.

Entitlement to Personal Independence Payment is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself.

Claim volumes vary over time and not all claims are successful. Between the year ending October 2021 and year ending October 2022, the overall increase of new claims was 18.2%.

Answered by:
Tom Pursglove (Conservative)
20 February 2023