Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to review (a) the overall financial support offered to, (b) eligibility for Personal Independence Payment of, and (c) eligibility for Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit of those with long covid.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is intended to act as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise from needs related to a long-term health condition or disability. It is assessed on the basis of functional needs arising from a disability, or long term health condition, rather than diagnosis of a condition. The needs arising from long Covid are assessed in the same way as for all other health conditions or disabilities.

We have no plans to review either the financial support offered to those receiving PIP, or the eligibility criteria as they apply to particular conditions.

The department is advised by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC), an independent scientific body, on changes to the list of occupational diseases for which Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit can be paid.

Their report ‘COVID-19 and Occupational Impacts’ was published in November 2022 and recommended for health and social care workers, the addition of five serious pathological complications following COVID-19 infection to the list of prescribed diseases. The department is currently carrying out a detailed assessment of the report’s recommendations. Once this work is complete, the department will provide a formal response.

IIAC considered that the evidence is not, at present, sufficient to recommend adding Long Covid to the list of prescribed diseases. IIAC will continue to investigate the occupational implications of COVID-19, including any post-infection associations.