Number of new PIP claims in Northern Ireland reduced by more than 50 per cent in May 2020 compared to same month last year

New Department for Communities statistics, that cover initial period of coronavirus outbreak, also show a reduction of almost 90 per cent in mandatory reconsideration requests

The number of new claims and mandatory reconsideration requests for personal independence payment (PIP) reduced significantly in the initial period of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to new Department for Communities statistics.

In Personal Independence Payment Statistics - May 2020, the Department says figures for March to May 2020 reflect the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted on the activity of claimants and operational activity, and led to the implementation of Departmental emergency measures for processing claims - including the suspension of face-to-face health assessments and award reviews.

In particular, the figures for May 2020 show that -

• there were 1,100 registrations for new claims, 43 per cent of the total a year earlier and the lowest number for a full month - except for April 2020 in which 970 new claims were registered - since PIP was introduced in the region in late June 2016;
• there were just 100 mandatory reconsiderations registered, down by 89 per cent on the 1,120 that were registered in May 2019; and
• around half (55 per cent) of clearances of new claims and disability living allowance (DLA) reassessment claims received an award, compared to more than seven in ten (71 per cent) a year previously.

Elsewhere, the Department sets outs cumulative data for the whole period from June 2016 to May 2020, including that award rates (excluding withdrawn claims) were 48 per cent for new claims and 76 per cent for DLA reassessment claims, with an overall award rate of 65 per cent. In addition, the figures show that 228,510 PIP claims have been registered and, of these, 219,440 have been cleared including 137,060 (62 per cent) reassessed DLA claims and 2,340 (1 per cent) claims under special rules for the terminally ill.

For more information, see Personal Independence Payment - May 2020 from communities.ni.gov.uk