Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP claimants were required to show a form of identification during their application in the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All PIP customers are required to verify their identity during the application process. This can be done using a variety of evidence, including photographic identification if appropriate.
The following documentation can be used by British Nationals making a PIP application as part of the process to verify their identity:
In some circumstances - where they fully meet the lay conditions - someone who is not a British national can claim PIP. The Eligibility criteria to claim PIP for someone who is not a British National can be found here: Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Eligibility - GOV.UK
You must:
If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get PIP. The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply.
If a customer meets this eligibility criteria, then the following documents can be provided to prove their identity:
Please note that although a document is listed, there may be a need for accompanying evidence alongside any of these to sufficiently prove someone’s identity.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what forms of photographic identification are accepted from applicants who do not hold a UK passport or driving licence during the PIP application process.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All PIP customers are required to verify their identity during the application process. This can be done using a variety of evidence, including photographic identification if appropriate.
The following documentation can be used by British Nationals making a PIP application as part of the process to verify their identity:
In some circumstances - where they fully meet the lay conditions - someone who is not a British national can claim PIP. The Eligibility criteria to claim PIP for someone who is not a British National can be found here: Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Eligibility - GOV.UK
You must:
If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get PIP. The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply.
If a customer meets this eligibility criteria, then the following documents can be provided to prove their identity:
Please note that although a document is listed, there may be a need for accompanying evidence alongside any of these to sufficiently prove someone’s identity.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many telephone-based PIP assessments are recorded.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department does not hold readily available data on the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments that are recorded by assessment channel.
As set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, the department intends to move to a position where all health assessments are recorded by default, with a process allowing claimants to opt out should they wish to do so. This change is intended to improve transparency and trust in the assessment process. Work is under way to implement this measure.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to UIN 107421, if he will provide a nationality breakdown of people with Universal Credit claims that failed the Habitual Residence Test.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Work Capability Assessments have been (a) curtailed and (b) closed early in the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions does not hold or publish statistics on the number of Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) that have been curtailed or closed early, either over the last five years or in the most recent year for which data is available.
Published statistical releases on Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit WCAs report only on completed assessments and do not include information on curtailed or discontinued assessments.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessments required the use of (a) an interpreter and (b) translation services in the period since July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Functional Assessment Service contracts launched on 9 September 2024. Between then and the end of January 2026, across all delivery areas, a total of 230,000 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments were completed with a translator present.
This includes British Sign Language, Irish Sign Language and lip speaking services, and is not limited to spoken language interpretation.
These numbers are based on completed assessments by either face-to-face, telephone or video where a request for an interpreter or translator was met and are rounded in line with statistical disclosure protocols.
Prior to September 2024, the department does not hold this data for all delivery areas in the outgoing assessment contracts.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the number and proportion of licensed sponsoring employers for (a) Skilled Worker visa holders and (b) Health and Care Worker visa holders registered in each local authority area.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.
Statistics regarding the UK population is a matter for the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people since the start of 2025 have been assessed for PIP a) in-person b) over the phone or c) via video call.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
While this information is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this data in a future statistical release.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people since the start of 2025 have been awarded PIP after an assessment a) in-person b) over the phone or c) via video call.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
While this information is not currently published by the department, we will be sharing this data in a future statistical release.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the number and proportion of applicants granted (a) Skilled Worker visas and (b) Health and Care Worker visas whose declared workplace is located in each local authority area.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data.
Statistics regarding the UK population is a matter for the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS).