Disability Benefits Delays

Introduction to the Issue

Some people are waiting more than a year for their disability benefits applications to be processed, which could plunge them into debt and poverty. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) aims to process 75% of new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims within 75 working days, but in the last financial year, only 51% of claims were processed within this timeframe.

Poor Service Levels

A report from the cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the department was providing “unacceptably poor levels of service”. The DWP stated that at the end of October, the average time to decide on a PIP claim was 16 weeks. The department always aims to process claims “as quickly as possible” and an ongoing review of PIP would ensure “it is fit and fair for the future”.

What is PIP?

PIP – which is paid to people with a long-term physical or mental illness – is the main disability benefit in England and Wales. It is not tied to a person’s income or employment and provides additional help with living expenses. The number of people eligible for PIP has increased in recent years, with the benefit being paid out to around 3.7 million people.

Long Wait Times

The PAC report said the long wait times for PIP applications to be processed were “unacceptable”, with people having to wait more than a year in some cases. The DWP acknowledged that these experiences do not appear in its statistics, but recognized it was a real situation that needed to be addressed. The department is testing an online application process in some areas, which it says has typically reduced application processing time by 20 days.

Future Improvements

The company had previously aimed to process up to 20% of PIP applications through the new online service by 2026, but has since said it expects to achieve this target by 2029. This is far too long for applicants to have to wait for better service. The committee’s chairman said: "Our committee was given assurances three years ago that improvements had been made; we are now being told that it will take another three years." This is simply not good enough for constituents, who are at risk of being pushed into debt or poverty by a department that is not responsive to their needs.

Additional Concerns

More than 90% of new PIP applicants can now submit their health information online after submitting their application. The committee’s report also raised concerns about Universal Credit claimants’ first meeting with a work coach being shortened from 50 to 30 minutes. It warned that “applicants with more complex needs may not receive the support they need” if the government does not take mitigating measures.

Government Response

Last year, the government abandoned plans that would have made it harder for people to claim PIP in the face of a major rebellion. The government had estimated the proposals would have saved £5 billion a year by 2030. Instead, a review of PIP has been launched, led by the Social Security and Disability Minister, and is expected to produce a report in the autumn. The government said the purpose of the review was to ensure PIP was “fair and fit for the future” and not to generate proposals for further savings. A DWP spokesman said: “We are repairing the broken welfare system we inherited by giving claimants the support they need to get good, secure jobs and move out of poverty.”