Government taking steps to shorten PIP application wait times

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have said they’re working to reduce the long wait times for personal independence payment (PIP) reviews.

On average, people are having to wait about four months for a decision after applying for the disability benefit payment.   

In response to Labour MP Katie White, who asked what the DWP are doing to shorten the length of PIP reviews, Minister Sir Stephen Timms said several new measures were being implemented.

He said the DWP are actively recruiting new case managers to handle the increased workload, which means they’ll be able to increase the number of reviews completed in-house.

To speed up the process, when there’s enough evidence or information about an applicant’s condition, case managers are now able to make a decision without having to conduct a functional assessment.

And they’ve introduce a change so that customers with the most severe conditions, who are on the highest level of support, now receive an ongoing payment, which will only be reviewed every 10 years.

On top of this, the DWP say that since healthcare professionals now conduct most assessments by telephone, in many cases, face-to-face appointments aren’t needed.

What is PIP?

Introduced in 2013, PIPs are one of several ways people can get money to help with a disability.

It’s different from incapacity benefit, which is paid to those who are too ill to work.

Instead, PIP provides help with the extra living costs that come with having a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.

Who’s eligible?

Use our free online benefits calculator to see if you are eligible for PIP.

You should be able to get PIP if you:

• are 16 or over
• are under state pension age (if you haven’t had PIP before)
• have a disability or long-term physical or mental health condition
• you struggle to do everyday tasks or get around
• you expect these struggles to last for at least 12 months from the date they started

You might qualify if you have trouble:

• Preparing or eating food
• Washing, bathing and using the toilet
• Dressing and undressing
• Reading and communicating
• Managing your medicines or treatments
• Making decisions about money
• Engaging with other people

Find out what types of physical and mental conditions could make you eligible in our guide about PIP eligibility.

Applying for PIP

You can start a PIP claim by phone or post. But if you do it by post, it’ll take longer to get a decision. You could also apply for PIP online.

Read our guide on how to claim PIPs to find out more about the process of applying.