A major DWP overhaul could affect thousands of disabled people across the UK. Many have been facing lengthy delays in getting their needs assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - but a change by the new government could see these waiting times fall.
Jobcentre managers are poised to take on a greater role in deciding Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims. It would be a move away from assessments conducted by healthcare professionals.
As the backlog of reviews and assessments grows, the DWP has begun a recruitment drive for case managers to tackle the increasing workload. Labour Minister Sir Stephen Timms addressed the shift in policy during a parliamentary session, confirming that the process will be expedited as case managers will now "decisions on reviews, avoiding the need for a functional assessment."
The modification in how disabled claimants are evaluated for PIP comes as the DWP restructures its contracts for regional benefit assessments. These contracts are either being internalised or merged into single private providers for different regions of England to enhance efficiency.
Despite this, the DWP has acknowledged that it may "take some time" for the new providers to manage the growing volume of required assessments, especially with the surge in long-term disability and sickness cases. There are currently around 3.4 million individuals claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which offers financial support to those with disabilities and is dispersed in two tiers: a standard rate of £290 per month, while the enhanced rate stands at £434. However, claimants are grappling with significant delays, some enduring months-long waits for assessments or reviews for the higher payment tier, reports the Manchester Evening News.
In response to issues raised about the delay, Minister for Social Security and Disability, Timms, acknowledged there have been setbacks, explaining: "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."
To combat the backlog, the DWP is looking to give benefits case managers greater authority to decide on PIP reviews and assessments, empowering them to make judgement calls without necessarily requiring medical professional input. Timms elaborated on the new approach, stating that these decisions by case managers will be made "where sufficient evidence/information is available," promising this could result in claimants receiving "a decision faster" than under current procedures. He also noted that majority of PIP evaluations now occur via telephone conversations, an adjustment aimed at expediting the entire assessment procedure.
According to the forum Benefits and Work, these alterations signify "more PIP reviews but fewer assessments" for claimants. However, they also highlighted that a DWP trial of these changes earlier this year concluded that "the system worked best if consultation with a health professional took place in every case."
The new Labour DWP administration has also implemented changes so that claimants with severe health conditions and disabilities are no longer subject to unnecessary reviews. Minister Timms stated: "We've introduced a change for customers with the most severe conditions, on the highest level of support, who now receive an ongoing PIP award which is only subject to a light touch review every 10 years."
