Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the personal independence payment assessment process for individuals with (a) fluctuating conditions, and (b) neurological conditions that don’t consistently present with physical symptoms.

We want to enable disabled people to have the same opportunities and choices as non-disabled people. We have, therefore, designed Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to reflect a modern understanding of disability, treating all conditions fairly.

Key to the benefit is a more objective assessment, which allows us to accurately and consistently assess individuals’ needs.

The PIP assessment is designed to accurately reflect the impact of variations in an individual's level of impairment. The criteria consider an individual’s ability over a 12-month period, ensuring that fluctuations are taken into account. It remains a fundamental principle that the assessment should not just consider whether an individual can complete an activity, but the manner in which they can do it. In March 2013, the Government made changes in the Regulations to make clear that consideration must be given to whether individuals can complete the assessment activities “safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time period”.