Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer on 1 February 2019 to Question 209780 on Personal Independence Payment, how many personal independence payment claimants who died within three months of their initial application being disallowed applied under normal rules; and what conditions those claimants had.
Over 3.5 million applications to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) were made between April 2013 and 30th April 2018 under Normal Rules. Of these, 3,590 claimants died within three months of their initial application being disallowed.
The table below shows the number of PIP claimants who died within three months of their application under normal rules being disallowed and these claimants’ disabilities. The Department only records a claimant’s disability at assessment so does not hold this information where a claimant was disallowed prior to attending an assessment.
Table: PIP claimants under normal rules who died within three months of their application being disallowed, by category of disability (where available)
Disability category | No. claimants with this disability |
Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders) | 10 |
Cardiovascular disease | 90 |
Diseases of the immune system | # |
Diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract | 70 |
Endocrine disease | 50 |
Gastrointestinal disease | 20 |
Genitourinary disease | 30 |
Haematological Disease | # |
Hearing disorders | 10 |
Infectious disease | 10 |
Malignant disease | 120 |
Metabolic disease | # |
Musculoskeletal disease (general) | 120 |
Musculoskeletal disease (regional) | 110 |
Neurological disease | 120 |
Psychiatric disorders | 400 |
Respiratory disease | 110 |
Skin disease | 10 |
Unknown or missing | 2,310 |
Visual disease | 10 |
Total | 3,590 |
Source: PIP ADS
630 of these claimants had previously been disallowed at least once in their initial application for PIP.
In addition, 90 claimants who applied under Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI) died within three months of their initial application being disallowed. Of these, 10 had previously been disallowed at least once in their initial application for PIP.
The cause of death of claimants to PIP is not collated centrally by the Department and the recorded condition may not have been the cause of death of the claimant.
Notes:
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.