Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer on 11 January 2019 to Question 203813, how many claimants who died after registering a personal independence payments claim but prior to her Department making a decision on their claim applied under (a) Normal Rules and (b) Special Rules.

Over 3.6 million applications to PIP were made between April 2013 and 30^th April 2018. 17,070 of these claimants died after registering but prior to the DWP making a decision on their claim. Over 3.5 million applications were made under normal rules and 11,790 of these claimants died after registering but prior to the DWP making a decision on their claim.

Nearly 109,000 applications were made under special rules for terminally ill people and 5,290 of these claimants died after registering but prior to the DWP making a decision on their claim.

Claims made under the special rules for people who are terminally ill are fast tracked and are currently being cleared at a median average of 6 working days for new claimants. This has reduced from a median average of 11 working days between April 2013 and March 2014.

Notes:

• These figures include new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
• Special rules indicator is taken at the point of registration. It is possible for claims to transition between normal rules and special rules for terminally ill people during the claimant journey.
• The point of application is taken as the day the claimant registered a claim to PIP as recorded on the PIP computer system.
• This is unpublished data from the PIP computer system’s (PIP CS) management information. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.
• Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
• Figures cover claims made up to and including 30^th April 2018.
• GB only.

Under the Social Security (Notification of Deaths) Regulations 2012 and s125 of Social Security Administration Act 1992 date of death is provided to the Department for all registered deaths. Additionally next of kin also provide information on the date of death of an individual and this information is used appropriately in the administration of Departmental benefits.