Social Security Benefits: Hearing Impairment

(asked on 20th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing people have access to a British Sign Language Interpreter during assessments for benefits.


Answered by
Justin Tomlinson Portrait
Justin Tomlinson
This question was answered on 26th November 2020

The department and our assessment providers are committed to providing a quality, sensitive and respectful service to everyone. Individuals are encouraged to alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, such as needing a British Sign Language interpreter, and providers will endeavour to meet any such reasonable requests.

Face to face assessments for sickness and disability benefits are currently suspended in line with public health advice. However, we continue to make recommendations on paper-based evidence alone, where possible or paper-based evidence together with a telephone assessment, where appropriate to do so.

To enhance the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) telephony service, PIP providers have implemented a video relay service for claimants with British Sign Language requirements, to enable deaf or hard of hearing claimants to participate in an assessment; we are exploring whether this solution could support the Work Capability Assessment process.

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