Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing the number of Personal Independence Payment claimants on carers who receive Carers’ Allowance.

The Daily Living Component of Personal Independence Payment paid to the person being cared for is one of the “trigger” benefits for Carer’s Allowance. The Government has no plans to change this.

I am currently undertaking a Review of the Personal Independence Payment. The Review is being co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends.

We are committed to supporting disabled people in living independent and fulfilling lives, and this will mean spending public money as effectively as possible. As such, the Review will operate within the OBR’s projections for future PIP expenditure, ensuring sustainability while continuing to provide meaningful support.