Plans to reduce the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) backlog by hiring new staff have been welcomed by campaigners who say the system has been “struggled with backlogs for too long”.
Disability equality charity Scope said: “It’s good to see the DWP pulling the finger” after the department announced it was hiring more than 100 new staff to undertake PIP reviews to deal with a growing backlog and historic delays. In total, it plans to hire 2,000 new evaluators.
But some campaigners warned they “remain concerned” about the knowledge of case managers who carry out assessments to determine a person’s level of support and the “apparently low level of education they receive”.
The move, announced at the end of last week, is part of a wider change to the benefits system that has begun to evolve since Sir Keir Starmer’s Labor Party came to power.
Here’s what you need to know about the revision and how it might affect you.
What is PIP?
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit designed to help working-age adults with the extra costs of living with a health condition or disability.
It replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in 2013 and is available to people aged 16 to state pension age.
Payments can help cover extra costs associated with living with a disability or long-term health conditions, such as high heating bills, special diets, equipment or taxi fares.
Problems with PIP
Long payment delays, intrusive assessments and payment denials plague PIP applicants.
For many people who request assistance, there may be a long wait before their request is even processed.
As of 31 May 2024, there were 392,000 comments outstanding in England and Wales. Without significant change, the backlog could take up to 10 years to clear, according to research carried out by charity Disability Rights UK.
Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Timms acknowledged that “many” benefit recipients were “waiting longer than expected for investigations to be carried out”.
Some beneficiaries criticized the invasive assessment process that assessed the severity of their disability; In some cases, this has resulted in re-traumatization of claimants, such as veterans.
The level of PIP a person receives depends on how many points they “score” during the assessment, as well as whether they are eligible to receive payments.
Historically, a large number of applicants have had their PIP payments restarted through appeal.
The DWP says it loses 70% of appeals because claimants give new evidence, but disability charities dispute this figure, saying 59% of cases are overturned despite giving the same evidence.
What are the changes?
The DWP says it will train new case managers to work on less complex claims, giving more experienced case managers more time to review cases.
In August 2023, there were 1,847 full-time caseworkers. By August 2024, this number had increased to 1,948, and more hiring is planned.
“We are actively recruiting additional case managers to meet the increased demand for PIP, which means we are now in a position to start deploying additional resources for award reviews,” Timms told Civil Service World on October 3. It will increase the number of investigative cases we can complete in the future.”
The companies that conduct workplace evaluations have also changed.
As well as PIP assessment, Work Ability Assessments for other benefits such as ESA and Universal Credit will also be assessed by a single provider in a single area, rather than several different providers.
Previously, individuals filled out a form and were then evaluated by a healthcare professional. People can now expect to be assessed by a member of staff operating across the region.
The change in assessor will not affect the assessment process in its current form. Assessment appointments still need to be held within 90 minutes of the applicant’s home and somewhere on the ground floor for accessibility.
The government has plans to reform the assessment process for claiming PIP and these plans will be announced in due course.
What was the reaction?
The move was also praised by disability equality charity Scope, which said it was “good to see the DWP taking the finger out” as PIP had been “struggling with backlogs for too long”.
Policy Director David Southgate told Yahoo News: “It’s also important that they do more to get the assessment right and provide disabled people with the support they need to live their lives.
“Life is more expensive if you are disabled. Scope research shows that these costs add up to an average of £1,010 per month for disabled people to have the same standard of living. “The low amount PIP provides as it stands does not go far enough.”
Linda Burnip, founder of Disabled People Against Cuts, said “any move to reduce waiting times for claims to be dealt with looks positive”.
“However, we remain concerned about the low level of knowledge and training of case managers,” he added.
The DWP insisted it had “taken immediate action to ensure vulnerable people are supported and protected”, “despite the terrible legacy the government faces”.
“Defending the rights of disabled people to ensure their views and voices are heard is at the heart of this government, and we are committed to ensuring disabled people and people with health conditions can access financial support through PIP,” a spokesperson told Yahoo News. on time.”
How to claim PIP?
First, potential buyers need to check whether they are eligible. They can do this here too.
They are then instructed to call the government’s PIP new compensation hotline, where you must provide your contact details and important information such as your date of birth, National Insurance number, your doctor’s name and banking details. If you cannot call yourself, someone else can do it on your behalf or be added to the call.
The government will then send out a form for potential buyers to fill out.
After this, the applicant may need to be evaluated through a work ability assessment (WCA) for further information. This will assess the severity of a person’s disability to see how much funding may be available.
There are currently two layers for both daily life and mobility. The standard rate for the former is £72.65 per week, with the increased rate being £108.55 per week. The standard charge for mobility is £28.70 per week, the increased charge is £75.75 per week. The rate depends on how many points you “score” during the evaluation.
The DWP will then make a decision as to whether this person is eligible for PIP payments.