Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of veterans in garrison towns that claimed PIP in 2022-23.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

As explained in the answer on 13 March, to PQ16600, we have no plans to introduce a veterans’ marker for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Therefore, we have no current plans to estimate the number of veterans receiving PIP in garrison towns.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to reduce the number of veterans receiving PIP.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to provide a contribution towards the extra costs of people with long-term health conditions and disabilities and is available irrespective of their past or current employment. The benefit is non means–tested, non-contributory and thus paid regardless of any income or savings. It can be paid at one of eight rates depending on the level of the individual’s needs.

Entitlement to PIP is assessed on the basis of the needs arising from a health condition or disability, rather than the health condition or disability itself. Individuals can be affected in different ways by the same condition and so the outcome of a PIP claim depends very much on individual circumstances. Where a claimant’s needs change they may see a higher or lower award or lose entitlement altogether.

As PIP is needs-based and paid in the terms outlined above, we have no initiatives which are targeted at veterans.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans were PIP claimants in the 2022-23 financial year.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The information requested is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will introduce a marker to enable the collection of data on the number of veterans that are claiming Personal Independence Payments.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

We have no immediate plans to introduce such a marker. Where a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimant is a veteran, then relevant information on the functional impact of their medical condition will be gathered as part of the claiming process, either through the medical assessment, or by the DWP decision maker.

PIP is based on the needs of the individual and current or previous occupation is unrelated to entitlement.