Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have died while waiting for their eligibility for personal independence payment to be determined since April 2018.

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. New Claims made under Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI) are fast tracked and are being cleared in 5 working days on average (as at the end of April 2020, the latest available published data).

The cause of death of claimants to PIP is not collated centrally by the Department.

Between April 2018 and 30^th April 2020, the latest date for which data is available, 1,662,080 registrations were made for PIP New Claims and Reassessments from DLA. Of these, 7,260 (less than 0.5%) claimants died prior to a decision being made on their case.

Notes:

Sources: PIP ADS, Customer Information System

• These figures include claims made under Normal Rules or Special Rules for Terminal Illness 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 If not, the claim is withdrawn.
• This is unpublished data from the PIP computer system’s (PIP CS) management information. It should be used with caution and may be subject to future revision.
• Figures cover registrations made from April 2018 – April 2020, clearances made up to April 2020 and claimant deaths from April 2018 – April 2020 as recorded on the system at 31^st July 2020 and may be subject to retrospection.
• Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
• 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.