Four PIP review exercises paused during coronavirus outbreak

Updated DWP guidance also confirms that a fifth review exercise is now completed

Four personal independence payment (PIP) review exercises have been paused as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, according to updated DWP guidance.

In a note added to the guidance on gov.uk today, the DWP says that, due to COVID-19, it has paused the following PIP review exercises - 

• Managing medication and monitoring a health condition: changes to PIP law from 28 November 2016 to 15 March 2017 and Special diet as therapy: changes to PIP law from 28 November 2016 which are being carried out following the Upper Tribunal's decision in SSWP v LB [2016] UKUT 530 (AAC), which established a change in the interpretation of activity 3 (managing therapy and monitoring a health condition);
• Safety and supervision: changes to PIP law from 9 March 2017 relating to the interpretation of whether an activity can be carried out safely and whether supervision is needed following the Upper Tribunal's decision in RJ, GMcL and CS v SSWP [2017] UKUT 104 (AAC); and
• Overwhelming psychological distress and journeys: changes to PIP law from 28 November 2016 relating to Mobility Activity 1 which is being carried out as a result of the Upper Tribunal's decisions in MH v SSWP  [2016] UKUT 531 (AAC) and in RJ, GMcL and CS v SSWP.

The DWP says -

'In support of the government’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the DWP is focused on ensuring our customers get the financial assistance they need and safeguarding vulnerable people who rely on our services.

As a result, we will not be looking at claims to check if [this change] means you may be eligible for more PIP. We expect this pause to be until the end of June 2020 initially, but we will need to keep this under review, in line with any developments on the pandemic and the subsequent demands on our services.

We will provide updates to this page in due course.'

NB - the DWP also says that a fifth PIP review exercise - Moving from DLA to PIP: changes to PIP law from 23 November 2017 relating to failure to attend an assessment or to provide information on the transfer to PIP following the Upper Tribunal judgment in OM v SSWP (PIP) [2017] UKUT 458 (AAC) - has now been completed.

For more information see A summary of changes to PIP which affects how the DWP decides PIP claims available from gov.uk

Stop press (3 August 2020) - the guidance has been updated to confirm that the pause in review exercises will now last until the end of September 2020, and will continue to be kept under review during the coronavirus outbreak.