Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 230076 on Personal Independence Payment, how many claimants of personal independence payments over that period who applied under the special rules for terminal illness process and had their claim disallowed subsequently lived for longer than six months; what medical conditions those claimants had; and what reasons were given for their claims being disallowed.

Table 1A shows the main disabling conditions of personal independence payment (PIP) claimants who registered a claim under special rules for terminal illness (SRTI) and were disallowed but had not died within 6 months of their claim being registered. The claim may have been disallowed under normal rules or special rules for terminal illness as claims can transition between the two as the claim progresses. The Department only records a claimant’s disability at assessment so does not hold this information where a claimant was disallowed prior to attending an assessment.

Table 1A: Disability Category of claimants who registered a claim under SRTI and were disallowed and had not died within 6 months of registration. Registrations to 30^th April 2018 and Clearances to 31^st October 2018.

*The Department only records a claimant’s disability at assessment so does not hold this information where a claimant was disallowed prior to attending an assessment.

Table 1B shows the first outcomes at the initial assessment of PIP claimants who had registered a claim under SRTI but were disallowed and had not died within 6 months of their claim being registered.

It is possible for a PIP claim made under special rules for terminal illness to be rejected as a special rules case by the Assessment Provider for not satisfying the terminally ill definition. When this occurs the claim is subsequently referred back to the Department for Work and Pensions and the claim process will proceed under normal rules. A claim can be disallowed for the claimant failing to return the PIP2 form or attend an assessment under the normal rules process, even though the claimant originally registered under special rules.

Table 1B: Outcome of claimants who had not died 6 months after registration: Registrations to 30^th April 2018 and Clearances to 31^st October 2018.

Source: PIP ADS

Notes:

• These figures include claims made under SRTI and include new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
• The Normal Rules and Special Rules indicator is taken at the point of registration. It’s possible during the claim to move between Special Rules and Normal Rules and vice- versa as the claim progresses. This may mean that someone who registers under Special Rules moves to Normal Rules during the process and is invited to an assessment but is marked as Special Rules here.
• Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP and DLA computer systems. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these statistics.
• The point of application is taken as the day the claimant registered a claim to PIP as recorded on the PIP computer system.
• The outcome is the first DWP decision recorded on the PIP Computer system. This does not take into account any mandatory reconsideration or Appeal action so some of these claimants may have subsequently been awarded PIP. Some cases do not have a decision recorded.
• This is unpublished data from the PIP computer system’s (PIP CS) management information. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.
• Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
• Data is as recorded on the PIP Computer System.
• Components may not sum to the whole.
• Figures cover claims made up to and including 30th April 2018 and clearances up to and including 31st October 2018.
• Figures cover claimant deaths up to and including 31^st October 2018.
• “#” indicates fewer than 5 cases
• GB 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.