Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants known to her Department who have died after registering a claim for personal independence payments and before receiving a decision on their claim; and if she will make a statement.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is claimed by people with a range of health conditions and disabilities, many of which are degenerative or life limiting, and the Department treats the death of any claimant sympathetically. Claims made under Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) are fast tracked and are being cleared in 3 working days on average (as at the end of January 2022, the latest available published data).

32,510 people died whilst waiting for a decision on their PIP claim between 1^st April 2013 and 31^st January 2022, the latest date for which published data is available. For context, 6,440,520 claims were submitted for PIP over the same period.

Cause of death is determined by a doctor, or in certain circumstances by a coroner. Information on the cause of death of claimants to PIP is not collated centrally by the Department.

The Department conducts a detailed investigation, known as an Internal Process Review (IPR), in cases where:

• a customer has suffered serious harm, has died (including by suicide), or where we have reason to believe there has been an attempted suicide and there is a suggestion or allegation that the Department’s actions or omissions may have negatively contributed to the customer’s circumstances,
• or the Department is asked to participate in a local authority-led Safeguarding Adults Board or is named as an Interested Person at an Inquest (regardless of whether there is an allegation against the Department).

Any serious, systemic issues identified during IPRs are considered, alongside evidence from other sources, at the Serious Case Panel. This is a quarterly meeting of the Department's Executive Team, plus independent members. The Panel agrees changes with the objective of reducing the incidences of such cases in future.

Notes:

Source: PIP ADS and Customer Information System

• These figures include claims made under normal rules and special rules for terminally ill claimants and include new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.

• If a claimant dies before a decision is made on an outstanding claim, the Department establishes whether the claimant’s representative or next of kin wishes to proceed with the claim. If not, the claim is withdrawn.
• Claimants’ dates of death are as recorded on the system at 25^th March 2022 and may be subject to change.

• This is unpublished data. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.
• PIP claimants are included if they died and a PIP claim was registered before their date of death and was cleared after their date of death.

• Data covers Great Britain only.

Under the Social Security (Notification of Deaths) Regulations 2012 and s125 of Social Security Administration Act 1992 date of death is provided to the Department for all registered deaths. Additionally, next of kin also provide information on the date of death of an individual and this information is used appropriately in the administration of Departmental benefits.