Social Security Benefits
(asked on 14th May 2018) - View Source
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for (a) personal independence payment, b) employment and support allowance and c) universal credit (limited capability for work related activity element) were determined by paper assessment only in each of the last five years.
The volume of paper assessment only is outlined in the table below:
PIP, ESA & UC Paper Based Assessment April 2013 to March 2018 | |||||
April 2013 - March 2014 | April 2014 - March 2015 | April 2015 - March 2016 | April 2016 - March 2017 | April 2017 - March 2018 | |
PIP | 21,722 | 131,865 | 119,458 | 156,082 | 124,117 |
ESA | 304,488 | 310,010 | 205,796 | 206,195 | 221,894 |
UC | 17 | 135 | 503 | 1,743 | 10,222 |
The figures show volumes of paper based reports that have been completed by the assessment providers on behalf of DWP without the need for a face to face assessment.
When a Personal Independent Payment award is due for a review a Case Manager can, in some instances, make a decision based on the paper evidence without referring the case to an assessment provider. Volumes in relation to this are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.