Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how long individual records of (a) personal independence allowance and (b) employment and support allowance assessments are held electronically before destruction.

In line with the DWP data retention policy, any Personal Independence Payment documents or records that do not support any active award of benefit, are destroyed 2 years after the award ends or 2 years after a disallowance decision has been made. For ESA the retention period is 14 months following the end of the award or disallowance decision.