Random assessment checks??

We’ve had a query from our Deputyship team which is ringing alarm bells. They were contacted by PIP this morning about a client who was awarded enhanced DL & enhanced mobility from a date in May 2016 with a review date of March 2026.  Seemingly PIP is now completing a review of awards to “check the work of the assessors”; a very small random sample she was told.  They will carry out a telephone review (with the client’s care manager) and will then send a completed form to the Deputyship worker to sign and the information will then be reviewed.  They were advised that if following this review PIP doesn’t agree with the initial award that they have the power to change the decision. 

I know they have the power to review any award at any time for any reason. But given the level of the award this is worrying. And do they actually mean they will revise the initial award?? Or is this just typically opaque DWPspeak for superseding from, probably, the date they initiate the review on whatever grounds they think they can get away with? If this is genuinely about checking the quality of the assessment, how effective is that likely to be a year after it took place?

I’m not (much of) a conspiracy theorist but in the context of the planned changes to PIP the timing and content of this seems fishy.

I think they do about 3,000 wholly random checks nationally each year. I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next person but in reality it is inevitable a range of awards will be looked at.

Anecdotally it appears to be the case that those with PIP awards at the enhanced rate for both components are more likely to be ‘randomly’ selected.