Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department provides to people with autism in relation to personal independence payment assessments.

When we identify a claimant requires additional support we have a process to ensure that this is provided. We recognise that attending any face-to-face assessment can be a stressful experience for some people, which is why we do not carry out face-to-face consultations where there is enough existing evidence to determine benefit entitlement. If a face-to-face consultation is required, we encourage claimants to take a companion, for example a carer, friend, or family member, to their consultation for support. It is recognised that information given by a companion can be useful, particularly in cases where the claimant may lack insight into their condition, understate the challenges they face or have difficulty communicating.

Where a claimant does not return their PIP claim form, we will still ask our Assessment Providers to make contact and gather evidence and / or invite the claimant for an assessment.