PIP new claims and change of circumstances requests show gradual recovery to near-normal levels in quarter ending July 2020

However, new DWP statistics also show that mandatory reconsiderations are at their lowest level since September 2015

The numbers of personal independence payment (PIP) new claims and changes of circumstances requests have gradually returned to near-normal levels in the quarter ending July 2020, according to new DWP statistics.

In Personal Independence Payment: Official Statistics to July 2020, the DWP says that the figures for May to July 2020 continue to reflect the disruptions caused by the coronavirus (COVID‑19) pandemic to claimant and Departmental activity - caused to a large extent by operational changes that suspended face-to-face health assessments and delayed routine re-assessments and reviews - including data that shows -

• clearance times for normal rules new claims fell in April 2020 but have since risen to 23 weeks for the end to end claim process in July 2020 - the highest level since December 2014;
• clearance times for normal rules reassessed claims have continued to rise over recent quarters, excepting a dip in May and June 2020, and are currently 28 weeks end to end - the highest level since October and November 2014;
• although some disability living allowance (DLA) reassessment and award review activity restarted towards the end of July, numbers remain low so far with 6,300 registrations for DLA reassessments and 14,000 planned award review registrations; and
• mandatory reconsideration registrations have fallen to 15,000 - the lowest number since September 2015.

The figures also show that activity initiated by claimants has gradually recovered in parts of the PIP claims process, with 45,000 registrations for new claims in July 2020 (8 per cent lower than the level a year earlier) and 7,300 reported changes of circumstances (2 per cent higher than the same month a year ago).

For more information, see Personal Independence Payment: April 2013 to July 2020 from gov.uk