Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department plans to ensure that benefit assessors are equipped with adequate knowledge to assess personal independence payment claimants who present with symptoms of (a) brain tumours and (b) rare and complex conditions.

The objective of the PIP assessment is to assess the impact that health conditions and impairments can have on an individual’s daily life. The PIP assessment is not a medical assessment requiring the Health Professional to diagnose a condition or to recommend treatment options.

PIP Health Professionals are medically qualified and have received comprehensive training in disability analysis and identifying the effects that health conditions and impairments can have on an individual’s daily life.

Health Professionals have access to a range of resources as well as experienced clinicians to support them in assessing claimants with complex conditions. In addition, the Assessment Providers frequently engage with medical experts, charities and relevant stakeholders to strengthen, review and update their training programmes.