Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contractual requirements apply to the creation, retention and availability of assessor consultation notes, paper-based review notes and audio recordings of PIP assessments.

Information on the contractual requirements for the creation, retention and availability of assessor consultation notes, paper-based review notes and audio recordings is set out in pages 207 to 212 of the Functional Assessment Service (FAS) contract and available here.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) holds Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS) suppliers to a robust set of contractual performance measures. Suppliers are required to meet a series of Target Performance Levels (TPLs), which are monitored through management information, performance reviews and governance arrangements. Where performance falls below the required standard, contractual remedies, including improvement plans and financial measures, may be applied.

The TPLs and wider contractual obligations are set out in the FAS contract, which is published on Contracts Finder and available here.

The Department and its assessment suppliers are committed to ensuring that claimants are treated fairly, sensitively and with respect throughout the assessment process. Suppliers are contractually required to consider and, where reasonably practicable, provide reasonable adjustments to support claimants’ needs. Compliance is monitored through contractual performance measures, including TPL11, which assesses the extent to which reasonable adjustment requests are met.

Further information on reasonable adjustments is available in the Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide which is accessible here.

The Department continues to monitor supplier performance and keep its processes under review to ensure assessment services remain accessible and supportive for all claimants.