PIP Assessments DWP Changes, Evaluation, Region, Affect/Claim The UK Government provides financial support to people who have a long-term disability or physical or mental health conditions and who need care or support to carry out their daily activities, through Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This year, the previous UK Government proposed some changes to PIP, now, following a review of the proposed changes to PIP and the Supreme Court ruling on PIP assessments, the DWP has announced PIP and work capability assessment changes starting on 7 September 2024.
The PIP assessment changes come as many PIP claimants are still waiting for their PIP payments of around £5000. PIP claimants living in England, Northern Ireland and Wales will face changes to PIP assessments as new companies take over the PIP system. The big change is that new providers will oversee the PIP process for each area, rather than the multiple providers in one area we saw before the changes.
What Will You Changes Are There To DWP PIP Evaluation?
- PIP claimants in Northern Ireland, England and Wales may see the following changes to PIP assessments from now on:
- Health assessments to assess claimants’ ability to carry out their daily work and health conditions for a PIP claim will be carried out on behalf of the DWP by the same company for each region.
- The PIP assessment changes do not apply to Scottish PIP claimants as PIP will move from the Department for Work and Pensions to the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) by the end of next year, however, the changes may affect benefits required for Universal Credit or WCA.
- The changes to PIP assessments will apply to the following benefits:
- Employment and Support Allowance (ECA)
- Industrial Injury Disability Benefit
- Universal Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (not for Scotland)
- PIP claimants will receive a letter from their PIP provider and if the date is after 07 September 2024, claimants should know it is from their new provider. The letter will contain information about your appointment with your PIP provider and instructions on how to complete your PIP assessment. If PIP claimants have lost the letter, they can check their provider using their area’s postcode on the UK Government’s official website.
New PIP Providers For Each Region (Multi Region Deployment Using New PIP)
PIP claimants or other benefit claimants who have a PIP assessment or work capability assessment can check their provider company by region as follows:
- South West England: Serco
- Northern Ireland: Capita Business Services
- Scotland and Northern England: Maximum UK Services Ltd
- Midlands and Wales: Capita
- South East England, East Anglia and London: Ingeus UK Ltd
How Will This Affect How You Claim PIP?
- PIP claimants will not see any changes to the PIP claiming process as the whole process is still the same except for the assessment and new providers. It is believed that the new providers will not make much change to the way PIP actually works and is processed.
- Face to face meetings within a 90 minute journey from the applicant’s home will still be part of the assessment and assessments will still take place on the first floor to ensure easy access and convenience for claimants.
- Claimants can bring a companion with them to support them and give evidence on the applicant’s behalf. Doctors, physiotherapists, nurses, paramedics and health professionals will still carry out PIP assessments.
PIP Payments Will Change To Vouchers And One-Off Grants?
The newly formed Labour government will decide whether PIP payments will continue with the current weekly payment system or propose changes to it. Recently, the DWP has reviewed proposed changes to PIP payments which include:
- PIP vouchers and one-off grants: Proposed changes to replace the current cash payment system with PIP vouchers and one-off grants. PIP vouchers will cover additional living costs of PIP claimants, such as daily living essentials, healthy diet items, etc. One-off grants will help claimants cover specific costs related to their disability or health condition, such as house adaptations, specific health equipment, etc.
- Since the new government has not decided on the proposed changes, the proposed changes to the PIP payment method are still in question.
- Currently, PIP claimants can expect providers to change for PIP assessments and WCAs due to changes in companies. PIP claimants who are due for assessment should check their provider in their area and follow the instructions in the letter they have received and contact their provider to proceed with the new changes to PIP assessments.
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