Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2018 to Question 123740 on social security benefits: disability, how many times decision makers or quality assurance managers have contacted an assessment provider for clarification, advice or to return reports for re-work as unacceptable in each of the last three years.

For benefits administered under the Health and Disability Assessment Services contract rework volumes are recorded but volumes of enquiries for advice and clarification are not. Rework volumes for these benefits in 2017, 2016 and 2015 can be found in the table below:

For Personal Independence Payments both rework and advice volumes are recorded, but clarification enquiry volumes are not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate costs. Rework and advice volumes for PIP in 2017, 2016 and 2015 can be found in the table below:

It should be noted that in June 2017 the Department clarified the criteria that Case Managers should apply for the identification of PIP rework.