Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Green Excerpts

Monday 4th September 2023 Commons Chamber

[Laura Trott]

There are 200,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty than when Labour left office.

[Sarah Green (Chesham and Amersham) (LD)]

9. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the assessment process for personal independence payments.

[The Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work (Tom Pursglove)]

Assessments play an important part in ensuring people get the right entitlement. It is the claimant’s chance to give all the information needed to help make the right decision. The assessment, which measures the impact of a health condition on a person’s ability to live independently, is kept under review; I am sure the hon. Lady is familiar with the tests and trials set out in the White Paper.

[Sarah Green (Chesham and Amersham) (LD)]

The Minister will know that one challenge with PIP is how to accurately assess fluctuating conditions. More than half a million people in the UK are living with Crohn’s disease or colitis, but fewer than 3% are in receipt of PIP. Past applicants have said that while fatigue is the most disabling symptom, they feel that that is the least represented symptom in their assessments. [Interruption.] Would the Minister consider introducing a fatigue rating scale to PIP assessments to more effectively capture what is, for many, the most debilitating component of their condition?

[Mr Speaker]

Minister, the reason I was coughing was that the question was rather long.