Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people (a) made an application for personal independence payments in Scotland (i) since 24 March 2020 and (b) in 2019; and how many of those people had their application (A) awarded and (B) disallowed (1) pre-assessment and (2) post-assessment.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The table below shows a comparison of the outcomes of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims registered by claimants in Scotland throughout the whole of 2019 and between 24th March – 30th April 2020.
The latest published journey time from PIP registration to clearance in April 2020 in Scotland was 21 weeks on average for a new claim and 27 weeks for a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claim. This goes some way to explaining why the majority of claims registered from 24th March 2020 onwards had not received an initial decision as of 30th April 2020, the latest date for which data is available.
It is worth noting that the majority of claims cleared since 24th March 2020 were cleared under the Special Rules for Terminally Ill claimants for which the average customer journey time in Great Britain was 5 working days for New Claims and 6 working days for DLA to PIP Reassessment claims.
Table 1: Comparison of outcomes of PIP claims registered in Scotland in 2019 and from 24th March 2020
| Date of registration to PIP |
| |
Outcome of PIP Claim | 2019 | 24th March 2020 Onwards | Total |
Awarded | 43,660 | 140 | 43,800 |
Disallowed post-referral to AP | 24,980 | - | 24,990 |
Disallowed pre-referral to the AP | 16,950 | - | 16,950 |
Withdrawn | 1,350 | 10 | 1,360 |
Case Still Outstanding | 7,600 | 3,220 | 10,810 |
Total number of PIP Registrations | 94,550 | 3,370 | 97,920 |
Source: PIP ADS
Notes
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to extend the suspension of benefit reviews and reassessments for (a) universal credit, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) personal independence payment beyond 24 June 2020.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are currently in the process of reviewing this measure, and will confirm next steps as soon as possible.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to (a) cancel or (b) suspend all pre-existing benefits sanctions during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are focused on the processing of claims and will not be checking conditionality compliance regarding preparing for, looking for and being available for work until the end of June. This means that claimants won’t receive any new sanctions if they are unable to meet these commitments during this period.
We currently have no plans to cancel or suspend pre-existing sanctions. Claimants who were sanctioned before Covid 19 can continue to apply for hardship payments and are no worse off as a result of the pandemic. We continue to review our policies as the situation evolves.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people affected by multiple sclerosis in Scotland claim universal credit.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people affected by multiple sclerosis in Scotland will be moved over from other benefits to universal credit.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The data requested is not available at this time.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 October 2018 to Question 173561, what other agreements have been made under the Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 2018; and whether the Scottish Government has advised it will ask for further agreements.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The Agency Agreement between the Department for Work and Pensions and Scottish Ministers for the continued payment of Carer’s Allowance is the first agreement made under the Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 2018.
The need for further agency arrangements will be considered on a case by case basis and will be subject to UK and Scottish Government agreement. This will be dependent on Scottish Government plans for taking over benefits once executive competence transfers in April 2020.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's policy is on the length of time that the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998 (Agency Arrangements) (Specification) Order 2018 will remain in place.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
This Order allows for Agency Agreements to be put in place that enable the Department to continue to deliver devolved benefits to customers living in Scotland until the Scottish Government are able to take over delivery. The provisions in the Order itself will not come to an end, however any Agency Agreements covering the specific devolved benefits will be subject to the UK and Scottish Governments agreement and considered on a case by case basis, including the length of those agreements.
The first such Agency Agreement recently signed by the Department and the Scottish Government for the continued payment of Carer’s Allowance covers a period of two years. This Agreement may be varied, or the term of the Agreement extended, if the Department and the Scottish Government agree.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Scotland over the age of 65 have been (a) successfully reassessed and (b) unsuccessfully reassessed after being invited to move from disability living allowance to personal independence payment; and how many of those people were referred to the assessment provider as part of that reassessment process.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The latest available data on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) clearances (claim outcome) split by geographical area (Country, local authority and parliamentary constituency), by age, by type of clearance (i.e. whether the claim was awarded, disallowed or withdrawn) and by type of claim (new claim or reassessment) can be found at https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here:https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started.html
The number of claimants to PIP who were referred to an assessment can be found by adding together the number of claims ‘awarded’ and the number of claims ‘disallowed post referral to the Assessment Provider’.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Scotland over the age of 65 have been (a) invited to move from disability living allowance to personal independence payment and (b) referred to the assessment provider as part of that reassessment process.
Answered by Sarah Newton
The specific information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of personal independence payment in Scotland over the age of 65 have been (a) sent an AR1 for a review of their award and (b) referred to the assessment provider as part of that review process.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Once a claimant has been awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which can be paid at one of eight rates, that award will be reviewed periodically. Reviews are a key part of the benefit and ensure that not only do awards remain correct where needs may change, including where needs become greater, but that we also maintain contact with the claimant. Importantly, the length of an award is based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from nine months to an ongoing award, with a light touch review at the ten-year point.
Additionally, in August 2018, we introduced updated guidance for Case Managers which will ensure that those who receive the highest level of support under PIP, and where their needs are unlikely to change or may get worse, will now receive an ongoing award with a light touch review at the ten year point.
The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.