Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training health professionals carrying out personal independence payment assessments receive on deafness.

Both Assessment Providers are required to ensure that the Health Professionals (HPs) carrying out assessments have knowledge of the clinical aspects and likely functional effects of a wide range of health conditions and impairments including deafness.

All HPs receive comprehensive training in disability analysis. This includes specific case studies and guidance which covers how a person who is deaf, or has a hearing impairment, is likely to be affected in their day-to-day activities. All HPs are required to complete this training before they can be approved to carry out assessments on our behalf.

The Department and our Providers work with a wide range of organisations, including those who represent people who are deaf or have a hearing impairment in order to continuously improve the service provided, including strengthening deaf awareness training material for HPs.