Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance is provided to assist Personal Independence Payment assessors making decisions on a person with Huntington's disease; and if he will publish a copy of that guidance.

The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment considers the impact of all conditions on an individual’s ability to live independently, not just the nature and severity of their impairment. The role of the assessment provider (AP) is to provide independent advice against a series of activities set out in legislation and devised by the department. The decision on benefit entitlement rests with the DWP, not the AP.

The department has not specified that APs employ health professionals (HPs) who are specialists in specific conditions or impairments. Instead, the emphasis is on ensuring they are experts in disability analysis, focusing on the effects of health conditions and impairments on the individual’s daily life. All PIP HPs have access to a Condition Insight Report (CIR) on Huntington’s disease, compiled in collaboration with the Huntington’s Disease Association.

We have no plans to publish this guidance as it is intended for internal use only.