New PIP update as DWP confirms major change to tackle huge number of claims

The Department for Work and Pensions now has 2,000 managers addressing backlogs in the number of new applications as well as reviews of existing claims

People applying for Personal Independence Payment or awaiting a review of their existing claim should get a decision much earlier as a result of an increase in government staffing. The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed a major change to deal with claims and says it has now boosted its team to almost 2,000 case managers - with more set to be recruited.

The DWP says it has been seeing "unprecedented demand" for the disability benefit, which offers financial support for the extra costs of long-term physical and mental health conditions. Figures show that in the quarter from the start of May to the end of July, 210,000 people applied for PIP - an average of 70,000 every month.

Decisions were made on 240,000 claims in that same timeframe, with 53 per cent awarded the benefit after undergoing a health assessment. Around 37 per cent of people who were awarded PIP are getting the highest level of payment of £737 every four weeks. However, the number of new applications has slowed down the rate at which existing claims can be looked at to see if people are still on the right amount.

READ MORE:

• DWP PIP payment levels could face radical overhaul in decision on vouchers plan
• DWP PIP claims warning over backdated payments up to £18,000

According to a new report, as of August, 1,948 full-time case managers were working on PIP claims at the DWP, up from 1,847 the previous year – a 5.5 per cent increase – according to figures published by Civil Service World. That's just over 100 more officials dealing with applications, and more recruitment is planned to bolster staffing further.

The department is said to be training new recruits to work on less complex claims so that experienced officials have more time to review existing cases.

As the first stage of transforming the PIP system, assessments to decide if applicants are eligible for the benefit and how much they'll receive are now being carried out by the same contractor in any given geographical region. This streamlining will eventually lead to the rollout of a new nationwide Health Assessment Service in five years.

BirminghamLive recently reported that extra funding is being ploughed into the PIP system up to September 2028, including £110 million this financial year and £35 million in 2025-2026, so that more staff can be hired and a greater number of new claims can be dealt with on time. This will free up resources to reduce the backlog of existing cases that need to be reviewed to see if people should still be getting PIP and whether their payments should be increased, reduced, kept at the same level or stopped altogether.

DWP Minister for Social Security and Disabilities Sir Stephen Timms (East Ham) recently confirmed several initiatives were underway to address new applications for PIP as well as the lengthy waiting list of existing claim reviews.

Sir Stephen said: "We continue 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. 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 resource onto award reviews. This will increase the number of review cases we can complete 'in house'."

He added that the DWP will make sure the new assessment providers "have sufficient capacity to deliver the required volume of assessments" but cautioned that "this may take time", partly because of the extensive training period for new healthcare professionals.

The minister said other procedures had been put in place "to increase efficiency and move cases through the system more quickly." This includes making quicker decisions on reviews without needing to arrange an assessment, if enough evidence is available to reach a decision.

In addition, most assessments are now carried out over the phone so "the vast majority of customers who need an assessment do not need to attend a face-to-face appointment at an Assessment Centre." Further changes mean that claimants with the most severe conditions, who are on the highest level of PIP support, are given an "ongoing" award of the benefit with no need for reassessment except for a "light touch review" every 10 years.

Sir Stephen also explained that people whose claims need to be reviewed are kept informed and don't lose their benefits if the fixed term of their PIP award has run out while they are waiting. He said: "For customers waiting for a review, we keep them regularly updated using SMS text messages. We also ensure all PIP customers awaiting a review remain in payment, extending awards for up to 12 months where necessary, notifying customers in writing to allay concerns."

Get all the latest money, shopping and DWP stories on BirminghamLive's Money Saving Group on WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community for up-to-date news, helpful tips and essential information. You can also get a daily round-up and breaking news updates by signing up to our Money Saving Newsletter with a selection of top stories on benefits, pensions, finances, bills and shopping discounts.