The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a “small-scale test” of an online application service for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The trial involves just a limited number of claims at the moment but DWP said it has plans to “gradually and carefully increase the number of people who can use it” in the future.
PIP is a benefit for people aged over 16 and under State Pension age with a disability, long-term illness or mental health condition who need help completing daily tasks or getting around. The latest statistics from the DWP shows there are now more than three million people in Great Britain, including some 322,387 in Scotland, receiving financial support of between £24.45 and £156.90 each week through PIP.
Minister for Disabled People, Tom Pursglove MP, also confirmed that a new digital version of the ‘PIP 2 health questionnaire’ is now being offered to the “majority” of those making a claim.
The announcement of the trial and the new digital form came in response to a query from Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke, who asked if DWP would “make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing an online portal for Personal Independence Payment claims to help improve communication” between DWP and claimants.
In a written response, Mr Pursglove explained how the Health Transformation Programme is “modernising health and disability benefit services” and will create a more “efficient service and a vastly improved claimant experience” aimed at “reducing journey times and improving communications with claimants to increase transparency and build trust in our services and decisions”.
He continued: “The programme is transforming the entire PIP service, including introducing a digital PIP service with the option to apply online.
“We are currently operating a small-scale test of this new application service, taking a small number of claims to begin with, before we gradually and carefully increase the number of people who can use it.
“We have already introduced a digital version of the PIP2 health questionnaire, which is now offered to the majority of those making a claim. The full online application service will offer claimants the option to claim PIP online, including the ability to save and resume and to upload medical evidence.”
The DWP Minister added: “The programme will be developing the new PIP service carefully and incrementally, designing it around the needs of claimants, making it quicker, simpler and more transparent.”
The latest figures from the DWP show that at the end of October 2022, claims for PIP were taking 16 weeks to process from point of registration to the decision being made. The statistics also indicate that it is taking 11 weeks from the time of the assessment provider’s referral to the decision being made.
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