Travel time to PIP assessments

I am sure that I recall guidance to assessment providers being clear that claimants would not be expected to travel more than 90 minutes by public transport, however searching this morning, I can’t seem to find anything to confirm this. Does anybody remember seeing this and recall where it came from?

Hi Tom -

Here’s a rightsnet story from 2014 where DWP Minister confirms the 90 minutes limit -
https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/news/item/minister-for-disabled-people-confirms-that-claimants-should-not-have-to-tra

and link to where he says it in Parliament -
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm141103/debtext/141103-0001.htm#1411033000015

Only just come across this thread, but it’s also in the PIP Handbook:

‘We have asked the assessment providers to ensure that claimants travel no more than 90 minutes (single journey) by public transport to their assessments.’
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-fact-sheets/pip-handbook

The thing to remember is that their respective booking systems don’t look at geography. They just look at immediate availability. I’ve had GM clients booked for Sheffield, Leeds and Liverpool but what they’re really looking for is claimants to call them and they’ll happily rearrange closer to home. Never had an issue with that tbh. The one call usually sorts it.

Where it hasn’t then reference to the guidance and a detailed analysis of how most “under 90 minute” journeys by public transport are nothing of the sort allied to a request for a RA under EA 10 usually sorts it.