DWP issues new update on PIP claims as 'many claimants still waiting'

The DWP has hired more caseworkers to clear a backlog of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim reviews, the benefits department has confirmed

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has reportedly hired more caseworkers to tackle a significant backlog of benefit claims. Managers have been specifically recruited to review Personal Independence Payments (PIP). The number of caseworkers at Civil Service World, the benefits department, has increased by 5.5%. This move is expected to address substantial delays in applications and reviews of PIP.

Claimants must undergo a PIP assessment at the end of their award period to determine if their medical condition or disability has changed and whether adjustments should be made to their disability payments. Sir Stephen Timms, Work and Pensions Minister, acknowledged that 'many' PIP claimants were 'waiting longer than expected for their review to be undertaken'.

He made these comments while responding to a parliamentary question. He stated: "We have been actively recruiting additional case managers to meet increased demand for PIP, which means we are now in a position to begin to deploy additional resources onto award reviews. This will increase the number of review cases we can complete in-house."

New figures from the DWP reveal an increase in full-time case managers, with numbers rising by 5.5% in August to 1,948 up from 1,847 the year before – and they’re planning "more recruitment". According to Civil Service World, the DWP will be training these new staff members to handle less complex claims, allowing seasoned case managers to concentrate on executing PIP reviews, reports Birmingham Live.

Demand dictates the number of case managers assigned to particular areas, the DWP added. While the department does not release statistics on PIP review completion times, it was reported that it took an average of 15 weeks for a PIP claim to be processed as of July, measured from application to award letter issuance.

As per a Benefits and Work FOI request, England and Wales had 392,000 pending PIP award reviews in May. The benefits charity warned that at the current pace – only 10,000 cases cut from the backlog last quarter – it might take ten years to clear the pileup.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has attributed the extensive delays in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reviews to a surge in demand. Labour MP Katie White received a response from Sir Stephen Timms, who explained that the DWP is "to prioritise new claims to PIP to ensure claims are put into payment as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this means many customers are waiting longer than expected for their review to be undertaken."

The pensions minister highlighted that PIP awards could be extended by up to 12 months, ensuring continued benefit payments if a review is postponed.

According to Civil Service World, PIP claimants are being notified about a year in advance of their award's review date to accommodate potential delays. Timms also mentioned that the DWP has implemented new processes to "increase efficiency and move cases through the system more quickly", such as allowing case managers to conclude reviews without a functional assessment "where sufficient evidence/information is available".

Additionally, a "light-touch" review policy every 10 years has been introduced for those with severe conditions on the highest support level, resulting in an ongoing PIP award.