Commons MPs debated the processing of Personal Independence Payment PIP decisions on Tuesday 25 November 2014
The Minister for Disabled People Mark Harper‘s response to the debate contained the following:
On PIP backlogs
Between them, Atos and Capita have:
- doubled the number of health professionals working through recruitment and training
- increased the number of assessment centres
- extended assessment centre opening hours.
- increased the number of paper-based assessments in an attempt to avoid the need to attend an assessment
- begun to use work capability assessment (WCA) reports as part of PIP evidence [usually in relation to mobility issues – though no mention was made of cases where the actual WCA report is in dispute as part of an ESA appeal].
As a result of this Atos and Capita have quadrupled their output since January. The July PIP statistics show that, by then, the number of decisions had increased to more than 35,000 per month. The next statistics will be published in December, decisions made up to September 2014.
Communications
The DWP has:
- sought to improve communications so that claimants know what the best evidence to supply is.
- been clearer with people about how long their claim may take
Since April, the DWP been confirming receipt of PIP forms by sending a text message to claimants, so they know it has been received and not lost.
Accessibility
All PIP assessment centres are accessible—no PIP assessment centre is on the first floor. In Plymouth, a new six-room centre was opened in September to boost capacity, building on two centres in the Atos supply chain in Plymouth.
We have new centres opening in Chelmsford, Edinburgh and Newcastle. In addition, Atos opened a large 18-room assessment centre in Manchester, and there are further plans for centres in Liverpool, Wakefield, Preston, Blackburn, Wigan, Carlisle and Lancaster. Providers are increasing not only the number of staff they have, but the size of their estate.
Statistics
Last week, we set out that we will publish the PIP clearance times statistics, and waiting or outstanding times statistics, for the first time in March, which is before the election.
You can read the debate on the Parliament website.