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 impact of current waiting times on decisions on claims for Attendance Allowance; and whether he will take steps to reduce the target processing time from up to 12 weeks, particularly for claimants undergoing active cancer treatment such as chemotherapy.

The Department keeps Attendance Allowance processing times under review and recognises the importance of timely decisions for older people, including those undergoing significant medical treatment.

Through our wider Service Modernisation programme, we have taken steps to speed up and streamline the processing of new Attendance Allowance claims. We are now working to a target of clearing 90% of new claims within 30 days, and current performance shows that the majority of claims are being cleared within around 3–4 weeks, supported by increasing uptake of the new digital application route.

For customers who are nearing the end of life, we operate a dedicated fast-track process under the Special Rules for End of Life, where claims are prioritised and typically cleared within 8 days. The extension of the end of life definition from 6 months to 12 months ensures more people with advanced conditions can benefit from this expedited process.