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Written Question
Personal Independence Payment: Appeals
Tuesday 13th May 2025

Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21326 on Personal Independence Payment Mandatory Reconsiderations, what the average clearance time is for mandatory reconsiderations of Personal Independence Payment decisions; and what progress her Department has made on reducing the backlog of cases.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The PIP Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) backlog has reduced by around 6,900 since July 2024. Intakes in March were higher than anticipated so there is still a backlog of 6,400. We are increasing resources available for PIP MRs by recruiting decision makers.

The most recent PIP official statistics release, which was published in March 2025, has data up to January 2025. The median PIP MR clearance time in January was 71 calendar days.

Personal Independence Payment statistics to January 2025 - GOV.UK

Written Question
Winter Fuel Payment
Friday 25th April 2025

Asked by: Julia Lopez (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of correspondence to inform pensioners about changes to the winter fuel payment.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

This winter, during a six-week period, the Department communicated with pensioners regarding the change in eligibility for the Winter Fuel Payment and also included an update on its Scottish equivalent. Around 13 million letters were issued to individuals who may have previously had entitlement to a Winter Fuel Payment, and who may have been expecting to receive a letter about the Payment this winter.

The letter informed recipients of the qualifying benefits for receipt of a Winter Fuel Payment and encouraged pensioners to check if they may be eligible for Pension Credit and how to make a claim. Additionally, the letter emphasised other benefits that becoming eligible for Pension Credit may offer, such as assistance with housing costs, energy bills, and a free TV licence for those over 75.

The cost of the exercise was £7.5 million; similar to the cost of sending out letters in previous years, where the Department has written to pensioners about the Winter Fuel Payment.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 22 Feb 2018
Disabled People and Economic Growth

"Thank you for calling me to speak, Mr Deputy Speaker. I shall try to be better behaved today. I am truly grateful to the hon. Member for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (Dr Cameron) for leading this afternoon’s debate, for the tone that she has struck and for her constructive …..."
Julia Lopez - View Speech

View all Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster) contributions to the debate on: Disabled People and Economic Growth
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Feb 2018
Child Poverty: London

"It is an honour to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Henry. I am grateful to the hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Siobhain McDonagh) for requesting the debate, which is something I supported.

Too often, London is portrayed within the national context as a rich and robust powerhouse, which gobbles …..."
Julia Lopez - View Speech

View all Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster) contributions to the debate on: Child Poverty: London
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Feb 2018
Child Poverty: London

"We have to look at outcomes as well as methods and spending. I certainly remember that under the Labour Government there were some serious and entrenched poverty problems, because the benefits system was trapping people and there was not a belief that people could do more than they were given. …..."
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View all Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster) contributions to the debate on: Child Poverty: London
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Feb 2018
Child Poverty: London

"I was not aware that I was attacking the hon. Lady, and I am sorry if that is how she felt.

I have been a councillor in Tower Hamlets and I observed meeting after meeting where councillors in that borough indulged in what I have to admit was an orgy …..."
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View all Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster) contributions to the debate on: Child Poverty: London
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Feb 2018
Child Poverty: London

"Will the hon. Gentleman give way?..."
Julia Lopez - View Speech

View all Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster) contributions to the debate on: Child Poverty: London
Speech in Westminster Hall - Thu 22 Feb 2018
Child Poverty: London

"I think it should be agreed that housing supply issues are failures of successive Governments. I recall that, between 2000 and 2010, there was a buy-to-let boom, the arrival of huge sums of foreign cash, extremely loose monetary policy, extremely loose borders, the forced divestment of council housing stock to …..."
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 10 Jan 2018
Disability Confident Scheme

"I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Luke Graham) on securing this very important debate.

This Government have a breath-taking record when it comes to getting people into employment—a record for which they get insufficient credit. It is easy to see joblessness simply as an …..."
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Speech in Westminster Hall - Wed 10 Jan 2018
Disability Confident Scheme

"One of the important things about this debate is that we need to raise awareness across the board. MPs can help to do that by continuing to have debates, whether here or in the main Chamber—that is an important part of the process. A lot of employers simply do not …..."
Julia Lopez - View Speech

View all Julia Lopez (Con - Hornchurch and Upminster) contributions to the debate on: Disability Confident Scheme