Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how access needs for people with mental health needs are met when making claims for Personal Independence Payments.

Many claimants who make a claim to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) may have a mental health condition.

PIP claimants with a severe mental health or behavioural condition, learning disability, developmental disorder or cognitive impairment, who may have difficulty engaging with the claims process, and with no support network in place, can be provided with additional support during the claims process if they need it.

This support can include help filling in the claim form or the claimant questionnaire, and additional protections for failing to return the questionnaire, or for failing to attend a face-to-face assessment.

If the claimant requests it, we can involve a third-party representative and engage with them at every stage, including the health assessment.

GOV.UK also contains links to Easy Read guides to PIP (Easy read: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and videos (Understanding PIP - YouTube) which help explain each of the elements of the PIP claims process for those who may find it difficult to understand.

We also ensure all staff in customer-facing roles undertake mandatory mental health awareness training to equip them with the knowledge and skills to be able to support claimants with mental health conditions.