Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data her Department holds on the number of applications for personal independence payments that were (a) refused and (b) reduced based on informal observations made of the applicant upon face to face assessment.

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Informal observations form part of the suite of evidence used by Health Professionals at the face to face assessment to help Case Managers determine entitlement to benefit, along with medical evidence, history of conditions, social and occupational history, functional history including the ‘typical day’ and the functional examination.

More information can be found at paragraph 1.6 in the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-assessment-guide-for-assessment-providers/pip-assessment-guide-part-1-the-assessment-process#carrying-out-pip-assessments