Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the longest waiting time was for a PIP application in each month of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner and reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the department. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence.
The longest waiting time for a PIP application is potentially disclosive, and the longest waiting times recorded may not be accurate. Therefore, the 99th percentile is provided.
Table 1 – 99th Percentile of End to end wait time, for the last five years up to October 2024.
Year of Clearance | 99th Percentile |
2020 | 45 |
2021 | 47 |
2022 | 53 |
2023 | 44 |
2024 (to October) | 44 |
Table 1 – 99th Percentile of End to end wait time, by month for the last five years up to October 2024.
Month of Clearance | 99th Percentile |
Jan-20 | 40 |
Feb-20 | 37 |
Mar-20 | 37 |
Apr-20 | 43 |
May-20 | 41 |
Jun-20 | 46 |
Jul-20 | 47 |
Aug-20 | 51 |
Sep-20 | 49 |
Oct-20 | 52 |
Nov-20 | 51 |
Dec-20 | 47 |
Jan-21 | 46 |
Feb-21 | 46 |
Mar-21 | 42 |
Apr-21 | 42 |
May-21 | 42 |
Jun-21 | 44 |
Jul-21 | 45 |
Aug-21 | 47 |
Sep-21 | 49 |
Oct-21 | 50 |
Nov-21 | 49 |
Dec-21 | 49 |
Jan-22 | 51 |
Feb-22 | 53 |
Mar-22 | 54 |
Apr-22 | 55 |
May-22 | 56 |
Jun-22 | 56 |
Jul-22 | 54 |
Aug-22 | 54 |
Sep-22 | 53 |
Oct-22 | 50 |
Nov-22 | 52 |
Dec-22 | 52 |
Jan-23 | 48 |
Feb-23 | 49 |
Mar-23 | 49 |
Apr-23 | 46 |
May-23 | 45 |
Jun-23 | 43 |
Jul-23 | 42 |
Aug-23 | 42 |
Sep-23 | 43 |
Oct-23 | 41 |
Nov-23 | 40 |
Dec-23 | 41 |
Jan-24 | 42 |
Feb-24 | 43 |
Mar-24 | 42 |
Apr-24 | 42 |
May-24 | 43 |
Jun-24 | 42 |
Jul-24 | 43 |
Aug-24 | 43 |
Sep-24 | 47 |
Oct-24 | 46 |
Median PIP application clearance times are also available on a monthly basis as part of the PIP Official Statistics quarterly release. The latest release, with data to October 2024, is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/675bf09bb915d092055a01d8/tables-pip-statistics-to-october-2024-eng-wales.ods
Table 1A in this release shows the median average clearance times for normal rules new claims.
Notes:
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the longest waiting time was for a PIP application in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner and reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the department. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence.
The longest waiting time for a PIP application is potentially disclosive, and the longest waiting times recorded may not be accurate. Therefore, the 99th percentile is provided.
Table 1 – 99th Percentile of End to end wait time, for the last five years up to October 2024.
Year of Clearance | 99th Percentile |
2020 | 45 |
2021 | 47 |
2022 | 53 |
2023 | 44 |
2024 (to October) | 44 |
Table 1 – 99th Percentile of End to end wait time, by month for the last five years up to October 2024.
Month of Clearance | 99th Percentile |
Jan-20 | 40 |
Feb-20 | 37 |
Mar-20 | 37 |
Apr-20 | 43 |
May-20 | 41 |
Jun-20 | 46 |
Jul-20 | 47 |
Aug-20 | 51 |
Sep-20 | 49 |
Oct-20 | 52 |
Nov-20 | 51 |
Dec-20 | 47 |
Jan-21 | 46 |
Feb-21 | 46 |
Mar-21 | 42 |
Apr-21 | 42 |
May-21 | 42 |
Jun-21 | 44 |
Jul-21 | 45 |
Aug-21 | 47 |
Sep-21 | 49 |
Oct-21 | 50 |
Nov-21 | 49 |
Dec-21 | 49 |
Jan-22 | 51 |
Feb-22 | 53 |
Mar-22 | 54 |
Apr-22 | 55 |
May-22 | 56 |
Jun-22 | 56 |
Jul-22 | 54 |
Aug-22 | 54 |
Sep-22 | 53 |
Oct-22 | 50 |
Nov-22 | 52 |
Dec-22 | 52 |
Jan-23 | 48 |
Feb-23 | 49 |
Mar-23 | 49 |
Apr-23 | 46 |
May-23 | 45 |
Jun-23 | 43 |
Jul-23 | 42 |
Aug-23 | 42 |
Sep-23 | 43 |
Oct-23 | 41 |
Nov-23 | 40 |
Dec-23 | 41 |
Jan-24 | 42 |
Feb-24 | 43 |
Mar-24 | 42 |
Apr-24 | 42 |
May-24 | 43 |
Jun-24 | 42 |
Jul-24 | 43 |
Aug-24 | 43 |
Sep-24 | 47 |
Oct-24 | 46 |
Median PIP application clearance times are also available on a monthly basis as part of the PIP Official Statistics quarterly release. The latest release, with data to October 2024, is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/675bf09bb915d092055a01d8/tables-pip-statistics-to-october-2024-eng-wales.ods
Table 1A in this release shows the median average clearance times for normal rules new claims.
Notes:
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the mean average waiting time has been for PIP applications in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to ensuring that people can access financial support through Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in a timely manner and reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the department. We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence.
The following figures are for normal rules new claims only.
Year | Mean Wait Time (Weeks) |
2020 | 18 |
2021 | 22 |
2022 | 19 |
2023 | 15 |
2024 (to October) | 15 |
Median PIP application clearance times are also available on a monthly basis as part of the PIP Official Statistics quarterly release. The latest release, with data to October 2024, is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/675bf09bb915d092055a01d8/tables-pip-statistics-to-october-2024-eng-wales.ods
Table 1A in this release shows the median average clearance times for normal rules new claims.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her planned timetable is for responding to the recommendations of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report into changes to women's State Pension age, published on 21 March 2024.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
As a newly formed Government we will need time to review and consider the Ombudsman’s report along with the evidence provided during the investigation.
Now the election has concluded we need to consider the views that have been expressed on all sides.
The issues outlined in the report are significant and complex, as such they require serious deliberation. Once this work has been undertaken, the Government will be in a position to outline its approach.
I met with representatives of the WASPI Campaign on the 5 of September.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the support available receivers of Universal Credit who wish to appeal a decision of her Department at an Upper Tier Tribunal.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Tribunals are administered independently of the Department and therefore appeals to the Upper Tribunal are a matter for the appellant and His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). The appellant should follow guidance from the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) on the process for appealing to the Upper Tribunal. There is also helpful information on gov.uk: www.gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision/unhappy-tribunals-decision. This includes links to third party organisations who offer free advice on engaging with this process.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing carers of children and young people with cancer to apply for Carer’s Allowance prior to the child or young person being cared for receiving the associated disability benefit.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The information requested on the number of delayed applications is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
It is a long standing principle that Carer’s Allowance can only be awarded once a decision has been made to award the “trigger” disability benefit to the person being cared for, but the award of Carer’s Allowance can be backdated to the date that the disability benefit is payable from.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of applications for Carer's allowance that have been delayed for people caring for a child with cancer as a result of delayed (a) Personal Independence Payments and (b) Disability Living Allowance for the child or young person being cared for.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The information requested on the number of delayed applications is not collected and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
It is a long standing principle that Carer’s Allowance can only be awarded once a decision has been made to award the “trigger” disability benefit to the person being cared for, but the award of Carer’s Allowance can be backdated to the date that the disability benefit is payable from.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the change to annual income that families experience as a result of (a) a child or young person receiving a cancer diagnosis and (b) their associated caring responsibilities.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
No such estimate has been made.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial support available for carers of children and young people with cancer for (a) travel costs, (b) energy bills, (c) accommodation and (d) dietary requirements.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Government recognises and appreciates the vital role unpaid carers play in caring for, and supporting, members of their own family.
Providing they meet the entitlement conditions, unpaid carers of children and young people with cancer may be able to receive Carer’s Allowance and/or an extra amount in means tested benefits, including Universal Credit. Carer’s Allowance provides a measure of financial support and recognition for people who are not able to work full time because of their caring responsibilities. The extra amounts in means tested benefits at least partly recognise the additional costs associated with providing unpaid care.
Disability benefits, such as Disability Living Allowance for children and Personal Independence Payment, are available as a contribution towards the extra costs of being disabled and recipients are free to choose how they spend them.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any redundancy notices will be given to local government staff due to the end of the Household Support Fund.
Answered by Jo Churchill
The current Household Support Fund runs from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, and the government continues to keep all its existing programmes under review in the usual way.
The Department for Work and Pensions guidance states that staffing costs are included in reasonable administrative spend for the duration of the current scheme. It is the responsibility of individual Local Authorities to appropriately manage their staffing arrangements.