Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether injured army veterans are exempt from personal independence payment assessments.

Service personnel and veterans who are entitled to a Guaranteed Income Payment of 50% or higher through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) are eligible to apply for Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) instead of having to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Entitlement to AFIP does not involve an assessment other than by reference to the AFCS award.

All individuals claiming PIP are subject to an assessment of their daily living and mobility needs. In the majority of claims an assessment will involve a face-to-face consultation with an independent health professional. Assessments may also be carried out on paper evidence alone. We ask claimants to provide any evidence that they have to hand when they submit their PIP2 questionnaire. Such evidence could include evidence used or received in relation to a claim for AFCS or a War Pension. We also ask claimants to tell us who should be contacted in case further evidence is required.