Social Security Benefits

(asked on 6th February 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to improve the benefits claim process by (a) sharing assessment data between benefits and (b) making the criteria for claiming different benefits consistent.


Answered by
Justin Tomlinson Portrait
Justin Tomlinson
This question was answered on 11th February 2020

DWP are developing a single, integrated service which will simplify the assessment process for millions of people claiming health related benefits. This includes, with individuals’ consent, better information sharing and re-using relevant information already held within DWP. Also by gathering better evidence earlier in the claim to enable a decision to be made without meeting face-to-face, will help reduce the number of face-to-face assessments.

The criteria, entitlement and purpose of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are different as the benefits are paid for different reasons. ESA is an income replacement benefit for working age people, with entitlement based on an assessment of the functional impact of a claimant’s health condition or disability on their capability for work. PIP looks at the needs arising from a claimant’s health condition or disability and is intended to act as a contribution towards meeting extra costs associated with a long-term health condition or disability.

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