Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential cost to the public purse of delivering a digital end-to-end PIP service.

The Health Transformation Programme (HTP) is modernising health and disability benefit services. It will create a more efficient service and improved claimant experience, reducing journey times and improving trust in our services and decisions.

HTP will transform all aspects of the PIP service across the full claimant journey, from finding out about benefits and eligibility, through to decision and payments. HTP is one of the Government's major projects and has, therefore, been subject to appropriate scrutiny to ensure that its delivery plans are robust and that it will deliver value for money for the taxpayer.

The new PIP service will introduce an option to apply for PIP online. We will be developing the service carefully and incrementally, designing it around the needs of claimants. We understand that not everyone is comfortable or able to use online services. Use of the online service will be optional, and we will continue to provide alternative routes to claim for those who are unable, or prefer not to use, the online service.