Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that speech and language therapists do not undertake PIP assessments for people without disabilities related to speech and language.

The department recognises the importance of ensuring all health professionals (HPs) have appropriate experience, skills, and training to undertake Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments.

Assessment suppliers ensure that all HPs who carry out PIP assessments on behalf of the department receive comprehensive training in disability analysis. This includes training in the evaluation of how medical conditions affect claimants in their day-to-day activities, as well as awareness training in specific conditions. Suppliers are required to demonstrate that their HPs meet all our requirements before they are approved to carry out assessments on behalf of DWP.

PIP assessments focus on the impact of a person’s condition on their ability to carry out everyday activities, rather than the condition itself. HPs are therefore trained to assess the functional effects of a broad range of health conditions on an individual’s daily life.

The small number of qualified and regulated speech and language therapists undertaking assessments are required to meet the same training, qualification, and competency standards as all other health professionals carrying out PIP assessments on behalf of DWP.