The DWP has issued new guidance to PIP Decision Makers on how to set the length of a claimant’s PIP award.
The new guidance advises that PIP award lengths are based on a range of factors including the claimant’s condition(s), the needs arising and whether or when those needs may change, (taking into account such matters as planned treatment/therapy or learning/adapting to manage a condition).
When setting an award period Decision Makers are told that they must consider the claimant’s health condition(s), and the needs arising . And that the evidence they should consider can come from:
the claimant’s questionnaire
- any other evidence provided – this includes evidence provided by the claimant and evidence collected by the Assessment Provider (AP);
- and the AP recommendations and advice.
In terms of length, the guidance says that a PIP award period can be from a minimum of 9 months to an indefinite (“on-going award”) but with a 10 year Award Review date.
The DWP says that “on-going awards” for claimants can be reached in one of two ways:
- following advice from the AP that no review is required and the claimant’s restrictions on Daily Living/ and or Mobility are stable and unlikely to change significantly or they have very high levels of needs which will only deteriorate;
- and where the claimant is awarded enhanced/enhanced and their needs are not going to improve or would only deteriorate.
In a recent Parliamentary answer, the Minister for Disabled People Sarah Newton revealed that for the period between April 2013 and April 2018, revealed that only 18.1% of PIP awards have been for an indefinite period. Also that 82.8% PIP awards have been made for 3.5 years or less and that 23% of PIP were made for just 1.5 years or less.
See the DWP setting a PIP award length guidance.
For more information see https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2018/july/scandal-low-percentage-indefinite-pip-awards-0