Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the criteria for assessments for personal independence payments for people with mental health problems.

The assessment criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) have been developed to take into account the overall impact of a claimant’s physical or mental health condition or impairment on their functional ability, rather than focusing on a particular diagnosis. The inclusion in the assessment of activities around communicating, engaging with others, and planning and following journeys assists with assessing the impact of conditions affecting mental, intellectual, cognitive and developmental functions.

66% of PIP recipients with mental health conditions get the enhanced rate daily living component, compared with 22% who received the highest DLA care component. And 31% of PIP recipients with mental health conditions get the enhanced rate mobility rate, compared with just 10% of DLA recipients.