Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 1 Feb 2019 to Question 209781 on Personal Independence Payment, how many personal independence payments claimants died within six months of their claim being disallowed at initial decision under normal rules.

Over 3.8 million applications to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) were made between April 2013 and 31^st July 2018. Of these, 10,380 PIP claimants died within six months of their claim being disallowed at initial decision under normal rules.

There is no evidence in this data to suggest someone’s reason for claiming PIP was the cause of their death and it would be misleading to suggest otherwise. People claim PIP for various reasons, the majority of which are non-life threatening.

Notes:

• These figures include claims cleared under normal rules as recorded at the point of disallowance.
• These figures include claimants whose initial claim was disallowed after assessment, for failing to attend assessment, for failing to return the PIP2 form or for failing lay rules. This does not take into account any mandatory reconsideration or appeal action so some of these claimants may have subsequently been awarded PIP.
• The point of initial decision on the application to PIP is taken as the day the DWP decision maker made a decision and recorded it on the PIP computer system.
• This data includes both new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) reassessment claims.
• This is unpublished data from the PIP computer system’s (PIP CS) management information.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 and “six months” has been measured in months for example, 5th March to the 5th April is one month.
• Figures cover claims made up to and including 31^st July 2018 and claimant deaths up to and including 31^st January 2019.
• 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.