PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Personal Independence Payment (12 July 2016)
Question Asked
Asked by:
Chris Elmore (Labour)
Answer
The assessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to treat people as individuals, considering the impact of their impairment or health condition on their everyday life and how each claimant has personally adapted to living with a disability. The length of an award for PIP is based on the needs of the individual claimant and whether these are likely to change in the future, as a result, for example, of treatment or changes in their health condition.
The Department monitors all aspects of the PIP application process including the performance of the assessment providers, Atos Healthcare and Capita. The reports of Health Professionals who carry out assessments are subject to quality audit, to ensure accurate advice on the best time to review a case based on a claimant’s individual circumstances.
The PIP Assessment Guide for Health Professionals carrying out assessments includes guidance on how to determine the length of an award – Section 2.9 Prognosis (page 54) and 2.10 Review dates (page 56).
This guidance can be accessed on the gov.uk website:
There is also guidance and information for DWP decision makers on how best to establish the length of an award.
Answered by:
Penny Mordaunt (Conservative)
19 July 2016
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