Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of personal independence payment claims are auto-extended on more than one occasion due to a backlog of claims being processed by assessment providers, such that an assessment cannot be undertaken within the first period of auto-extension.

To protect PIP customers, we have developed an automated Digital solution which essentially extends the current award for cases where there is a risk that the claim will fall out of payment.

As we see continuing high demand for PIP new claims, customers are currently waiting longer than expected to have their claim reviewed, which has led to some awards being extended more than once.

The information requested on multiple extensions, however, is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.