Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the personal independence payment application process is accessible to deafblind people who are unable to make a claim over the telephone or complete paper forms.

The claim process for Personal Independence Payment has been developed involving claimants and people who support disabled people:

• ·We have met with organisations which represent individuals with sensory impairments on several occasions, including Sense and Deafblind Scotland.

• The Implementation Stakeholder Forum was consulted during the development of the process.

The initial claim will be taken over the telephone. If required someone else can call on the claimant’s behalf to help them make the call. The claimant needs to be present when the call is made.

We recognise that for some individuals with sensory impairments, attending a consultation at an unfamiliar location could create an element of anxiety. We have made it very clear that when attending a face-to-face consultation individuals will be able to bring with them a relation, friend or possibly a professional who supports them, in order to support them or help them manage any anxiety they may feel. In some cases we will also carry out consultations in the individual’s home.

Claim forms, the initial contact, paper guidance and general information is available in a range of formats including large print, braille, audio and British Sign Language. Additionally if a specialist interpreter is required we would seek to provide one.