Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people being transferred from disability living allowance to personal independence payment have had their benefits (a) stopped temporarily and (b) stopped permanently in each year since April 2013.

Eligible Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claimants do not transfer to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) but are instead invited to claim PIP under a process of reassessment activity. DLA claimants invited to claim PIP have 28 days in which to do so, but may request additional time where that would be reasonably required. Where a DLA claimant fails to make a claim to PIP within the time allowed, payment of their DLA is suspended and they are advised that if they do not make a claim to PIP within a further period of 28 days their DLA will be terminated. Claimants may request further time to make their claim at that point if that would be reasonably required. Where a claimant does make a claim to PIP within the time allowed their DLA is reinstated from the point at which it was suspended. Where a claimant fails to make a claim to PIP within the time allowed their DLA is terminated from the point at which it was suspended.

Information on the number of suspensions and terminations in the above circumstances is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

DLA claimants who do claim PIP and subsequently comply with the requirements to provide information or evidence and attend a consultation where required continue to receive their DLA while their PIP claim is being assessed. Claimants also continue to receive their DLA for a further 28 days following the pay day which immediately follows the date of the PIP decision.