Disabled individuals with lifelong and progressive conditions are being forced into unnecessary Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reassessments by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), according to new warnings.
The charity Z2K has revealed that hundreds of thousands of disabled claimants undergo needless reviews. For example, three-quarters of people with learning disabilities, 86% of amputees, and 62% of those with cerebral palsy receive fixed-term PIP awards. This results in mandatory reassessments every three years, despite many having conditions unlikely to improve, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
Z2K’s data shows that out of 500,000 reassessments conducted last year, none resulted in changes to the awards. Many of these claimants were already receiving the highest possible payouts, highlighting inefficiencies in the system.
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PIP awards are usually time-limited, with many lasting two years or less. For individuals whose conditions are unlikely to change, awards are typically granted for five to ten years. In August 2023, the DWP introduced a ‘light touch’ review process for those with the highest PIP awards (10 years or more) or over state pension age. Under this process, claimants may avoid full reassessment if their circumstances appear stable.
Samuel Thomas, senior policy adviser at Z2K, criticized current practices: “DWP guidelines state that disabled people with lifelong and progressive conditions should not be reassessed more than once every ten years, yet these rules are frequently ignored. It is alarming that individuals with permanent disabilities such as cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and amputations are subjected to pointless reassessments.”
While welcoming the new ‘light touch’ review process as a step toward reducing waste, Thomas emphasized that it does not tackle the fundamental flaws in the PIP system. “The changes won’t overhaul the fixed-term award rules or diminish the number of full reassessments. They simply make reassessments somewhat less frequent.”
A DWP spokesperson responded: “We are committed to fixing the inherited flaws in the welfare system by extending award review periods, reducing unnecessary pressure on disabled people, and delivering savings estimated at £2 billion. Assessments focus on an individual’s ability to manage daily activities, not just their diagnosis. We have also launched the Timms Review, co-produced with disabled people and representative organizations, to ensure PIP remains fair and fit for the future, including reassessment processes.”