Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the accessibility and effectiveness of the Personal Independence Payment system for carers supporting disabled family members; and what steps he is taking to reduce delays, the number of repeated assessments, and improve administration, including communication with claimants on the progress of applications.

It is important that all claimants can access our services and that they do not face obstacles in applying and communicating with the Department and its providers, either personally or through a third party such as a carer.

We are committed to ensuring people can access financial support through PIP in a timely manner.  Reducing customer journey times for PIP claimants is a priority for the Department and we are working constantly to make improvements to our service.  We always aim to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to review all available evidence, including that from the claimant and claimants are kept informed and updated at each stage of the process, including through our improved text message service.

Since 6 April 2026, we have reduced the frequency of repeated assessments in PIP. For most claimants over 25, their first review will be after a minimum of 3 years and, assuming they remain entitled, 5 years for their next review.