Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to end the requirement for re-assessments for those with long-term medical conditions who are receiving personal independence payments.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) already recognises that for the most severely disabled claimants, the award review process could seem unnecessarily intrusive. The length of a PIP award is based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from nine months to an on-going award with a light touch review at the 10 year point. As such, existing PIP claimants with the most severe, lifetime disabilities, whose functional ability has remained the same, are more likely to have their evidence reviewed by a DWP Decision-Maker and will not need to have another face-to-face assessment with a healthcare professional. Regular reviews for PIP claimants are a key feature of the benefit, and ensure that benefit payments accurately match the current needs of claimants.

We will continue to engage with stakeholders to improve the service we provide. We are committed to ensuring that the review process works effectively across the spectrum of disabilities and health conditions.