Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many assessments for personal independence were carried out by his Department by (a) phone, (b) video and (c) via paper-based assessment in each month since January 2021.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments carried out by (a) phone, (b) video and (c) paper-based assessment in each month from January 2021 are shown in the table below:
PIP Assessment Channel | (a) Telephone | (b) Video | (c) Paper-based Review |
Jan-21 | 53,650 | 80 | 10,970 |
Feb-21 | 52,810 | 50 | 10,480 |
Mar-21 | 60,110 | 60 | 10,800 |
Apr-21 | 48,640 | 30 | 9,760 |
May-21 | 46,250 | 30 | 9,840 |
Jun-21 | 51,110 | 30 | 10,490 |
Jul-21 | 51,970 | 40 | 10,810 |
Aug-21 | 45,810 | 440 | 9,930 |
Sep-21 | 49,570 | 720 | 10,590 |
Oct-21 | 49,810 | 690 | 10,520 |
Nov-21 | 54,740 | 730 | 11,500 |
Dec-21 | 43,050 | 1,140 | 9,440 |
Jan-22 | 58,680 | 2,620 | 12,170 |
Feb-22 | 54,600 | 3,470 | 13,170 |
Mar-22 | 58,900 | 4,330 | 15,050 |
Apr-22 | 49,390 | 4,190 | 12,950 |
May-22 | 59,260 | 4,490 | 13,710 |
Jun-22 | 52,680 | 6,040 | 13,790 |
Jul-22 | 53,370 | 6,060 | 14,380 |
Aug-22 | 55,640 | 5,230 | 14,910 |
Sep-22 | 54,340 | 5,710 | 15,540 |
Oct-22 | 56,450 | 6,740 | 15,990 |
Nov-22 | 60,680 | 8,210 | 18,340 |
Please note
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disability employment advisers are trained in the use of British Sign Language.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The information requested is not readily available. Disability Employment Advisers (DEA) do not receive additional training in the use of British Sign Language (BSL). There will be some staff in the DEA role who are BSL proficient, but this information is not collated centrally by the department.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to making its services accessible for all its customers, together with those who may have additional communication needs including hearing loss.
Disability Employment Advisers (DEAs) work alongside Jobcentre Work Coaches and Youth Employability Coaches to support claimants, including those with hearing loss. They provide expert knowledge on how to support disabled customers and building the skills and capability of Work Coaches. DEAs can also directly support customers with health conditions and disabilities where this can benefit the customer. Every Work Coach in every Jobcentre has access to a DEA.
Deaf and hard of hearing customers visiting Jobcentres are able to access different support based on how hearing loss affects their communication needs. Jobcentres are equipped and currently provide mainly portable, but also some fixed hearing loops across the network, for those customers with hearing loss.
For those customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and attending a prearranged appointment with DWP, staff have access to a language services contract to pre-book an interpreter to support face to face contact. The interpreter will be skilled in providing non-spoken language support, including BSL.
Following the expansion of the Video Relay Service last year, whereby deaf customers are now able to make an inbound telephone call to DWP via a BSL interpreter using a video connection, DWP is currently exploring how this technology can be adapted to support video remote interpreting which will enable outbound contact. This will increase the flexibility for DWP to conduct face to face and telephony-based contact with deaf and hard of hearing customers.
The Employer and Partnerships role within DWP forms effective networks with a variety of local stakeholders, including organisations and charities that support customers with hearing loss. These relationships are vital to ensure that DWP is able to provide consistent and effective support to its customers.
On a national level, DWP has established a range of networks with its stakeholders to provide a voice for the customer. Stakeholder groups such as the Reasonable Adjustments Forum and the Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum regularly meet with a cross section of organisations representing disabilities, including those with hearing loss. The purpose of these forums is to ensure that DWP elicits feedback and insight into how its services are being used by those with additional communication needs and to seek continuous improvement.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Youth Hubs have a staff member trained in the use of British Sign Language.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available. Youth Employability Coaches and DWP staff based at Youth Hubs do not receive additional training in the use of British Sign Language (BSL). There may be some staff in these roles who are BSL proficient, but this information is not collated centrally by the department.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to making its services accessible for all its customers and our Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches are trained to consider a person’s circumstances and to tailor support to their individual needs. Customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and attending a prearranged appointment with DWP, either at a Jobcentre or a Youth Hub, are able to access different support based on how hearing loss affects their communication needs. We provide mainly portable, but also some fixed hearing loops across the network and staff have access to a language services contract to pre-book an interpreter to support face to face contact. The interpreter will be skilled in providing non-spoken language support including BSL.
Furthermore, a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) is assigned to each Jobcentre site. Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) work alongside Jobcentre Work Coaches and Youth Employability Coaches to support claimants, including those with hearing loss. They provide expert knowledge on how to support disabled customers and building the skills and capability of Work Coaches. DEAs can also directly support customers with health conditions and disabilities where this can benefit the customer. Every Work Coach in every Jobcentre has access to a DEA.
Following the expansion of Video Relay Service last year, whereby deaf customers are now able to make an inbound telephone call to DWP via a British Sign Language interpreter using a video connection, DWP is currently exploring how this technology can be adapted to support video remote interpreting which will enable outbound contact. This will increase the flexibility for DWP to conduct face to face and telephony based contact with deaf and hard of hearing customers.
The Employer and Partnerships role within DWP forms effective networks with a variety of local stakeholders, including organisations and charities that support customers with hearing loss. These relationships are vital to ensure that DWP is able to provide consistent and effective support to its customers.
On a national level, DWP has established a range of networks with its stakeholders to provide a voice for the customer. Stakeholder groups such as the Reasonable Adjustments Forum and the Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum regularly meet with a cross section of organisations representing disabilities including those with hearing loss. The purpose of these forums is to ensure that DWP elicits feedback and insight into how its services are being used by those with additional communication needs and to seek continuous improvement.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham, Deptford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many youth employability coaches are trained in the use of British Sign Language.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not readily available. Youth Employability Coaches and DWP staff based at Youth Hubs do not receive additional training in the use of British Sign Language (BSL). There may be some staff in these roles who are BSL proficient, but this information is not collated centrally by the department.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to making its services accessible for all its customers and our Jobcentre Plus Work Coaches are trained to consider a person’s circumstances and to tailor support to their individual needs. Customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and attending a prearranged appointment with DWP, either at a Jobcentre or a Youth Hub, are able to access different support based on how hearing loss affects their communication needs. We provide mainly portable, but also some fixed hearing loops across the network and staff have access to a language services contract to pre-book an interpreter to support face to face contact. The interpreter will be skilled in providing non-spoken language support including BSL.
Furthermore, a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) is assigned to each Jobcentre site. Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) work alongside Jobcentre Work Coaches and Youth Employability Coaches to support claimants, including those with hearing loss. They provide expert knowledge on how to support disabled customers and building the skills and capability of Work Coaches. DEAs can also directly support customers with health conditions and disabilities where this can benefit the customer. Every Work Coach in every Jobcentre has access to a DEA.
Following the expansion of Video Relay Service last year, whereby deaf customers are now able to make an inbound telephone call to DWP via a British Sign Language interpreter using a video connection, DWP is currently exploring how this technology can be adapted to support video remote interpreting which will enable outbound contact. This will increase the flexibility for DWP to conduct face to face and telephony based contact with deaf and hard of hearing customers.
The Employer and Partnerships role within DWP forms effective networks with a variety of local stakeholders, including organisations and charities that support customers with hearing loss. These relationships are vital to ensure that DWP is able to provide consistent and effective support to its customers.
On a national level, DWP has established a range of networks with its stakeholders to provide a voice for the customer. Stakeholder groups such as the Reasonable Adjustments Forum and the Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum regularly meet with a cross section of organisations representing disabilities including those with hearing loss. The purpose of these forums is to ensure that DWP elicits feedback and insight into how its services are being used by those with additional communication needs and to seek continuous improvement.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help ensure that his Department's processes are respectful of the (a) physical and (b) psychological challenges faced by people with disabilities; and what steps he is taking to ensure that those processes do not exacerbate the effect of those challenges for people with disabilities.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
It is important that all claimants are able to access our services and that they do not face obstacles in applying for a benefit and in communicating with the department and its providers.
We have a variety of reasonable adjustments to make the claims process and communications easier, where required by customers. Claimants with a severe mental health or behavioural condition, learning disability, developmental disorder, or cognitive problems, who may have difficulty engaging with the claims process, and with no support network in place, can be provided with additional support during the claims process if they need it. This support can include help filling in the form or the questionnaire and additional protections for failing to return the questionnaire or for failing to attend a face-to-face assessment.
With regard to Personal Independence Payments (PIP):
It is important that all of our claimants are able to access our services and that they do not face obstacles in applying and communicating with the Department and its providers. We have a variety of reasonable adjustments to make the claims process and communications easier for some of our most vulnerable customers.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
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 merits of reviewing the Personal Independence Payment application process.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application process is kept under continual review to ensure it meets the needs of claimants and helps the department reach an accurate assessment of an individual’s entitlement. Since PIP was introduced, we have introduced a range of accessibility improvements, such as the Video Relay Service and Relay UK, improved the clarity of the PIP2 questionnaire to make it easier to complete, expanded the assessment methods to include video and telephone, and introduced recording by request for telephone and face-to-face appointments. Claimants are also kept informed and updated at each stage of the application process, including through our improved text message service.
The Health Transformation Programme is further transforming the PIP service. The programme is introducing a digital end-to-end PIP service, with the initial offering being an online application, which eventually will be available as self-service from gov.uk. Small-scale testing of the online apply service began in January 2022; we will gradually expand and improve our approach.
We published Shaping Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper last year. This asked for views on ways we can improve people’s experience of the health and disability benefits system and set out ways we could make our services easier to access, make our processes simpler and help build people’s trust. We received over 4,500 responses to the Health and Disability Green Paper consultation and will respond with a White Paper in the coming months.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that accessibility requirements are fully taken into account when making a decision on the most appropriate Personal Independence Payment assessment method.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
It is important that all our claimants can access our services and that they do not face obstacles in applying and communicating with the department and its providers. The feasibility of a paper-based assessment will always be considered in the first instance for all cases. Where this is not possible the claimant will be invited to a telephone, video or face-to-face assessment. Before an invite to assessment is sent, consideration will be given to claimants who need a specific assessment channel due to their health condition or circumstances. In addition, before attending a face-to-face or telephone consultation, claimants are given the opportunity to alert their assessment provider of any additional requirements they may have, and the providers will meet any such reasonable requests.
Claimants identified as being vulnerable (e.g. having mental health or learning disabilities) can access additional support at any point in the claim or assessment process.
An audit criteria was introduced from 1 July 22 for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which will ensure claimants are allocated to the most appropriate assessment channel for their needs and circumstances.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to her Answer of 21 June to Question 17850 on Personal Independence Payment: Tribunals, what steps her Department has taken to improve the performance of Personal Independence Payment assessments by assessment providers since 2015.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) manages the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts robustly, and has a full set of service level agreements setting out our expectations for service delivery. We ensure a high standard is maintained, having an independent audit function that continually monitors performance, and provides feedback to assessment providers. Quality performance is also regularly reviewed through DWP and provider senior governance meetings at a national level, and in each of the provider areas.
The contracts allow us to recover any financial loss caused by poor performance, and we have the right to terminate the contract if there is sustained underperformance.
We are committed to continuously improving the assessment service and have reiterated this in the Shaping Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper. During the Green Paper consultation period, we explored ways in which we could improve the current system of assessments, including by:
We are considering all the responses to the Green Paper proposals as we consider what future policy changes might look like, which we will set out in the White Paper later this year.
The department’s Health Transformation Programme (HTP) will deliver improvements to the health and disability benefits system, including proposals that stem from the Green Paper. Our ambition is to make the assessment process simpler, more user-friendly, easier to navigate and more joined-up for claimants, whilst delivering better value for money for taxpayers.
Providers also work continuously to drive improvements in assessment services. They have introduced new management processes to drive performance across their services, including new or enhanced systems of assessment report quality checks, to improve the quality of advice the department receives. In addition, PIP assessment reports have been redesigned to have clearer justifications which support improved benefit decision making.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to her Answer of 21 June to Question 17850 on Personal Independence Payment: Tribunals, how her Department monitors the performance of assessment providers.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) manages the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts robustly, and has a full set of service level agreements setting out our expectations for service delivery. We ensure a high standard is maintained, having an independent audit function that continually monitors performance, and provides feedback to assessment providers. Quality performance is also regularly reviewed through DWP and provider senior governance meetings at a national level, and in each of the provider areas.
The contracts allow us to recover any financial loss caused by poor performance, and we have the right to terminate the contract if there is sustained underperformance.
We are committed to continuously improving the assessment service and have reiterated this in the Shaping Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper. During the Green Paper consultation period, we explored ways in which we could improve the current system of assessments, including by:
We are considering all the responses to the Green Paper proposals as we consider what future policy changes might look like, which we will set out in the White Paper later this year.
The department’s Health Transformation Programme (HTP) will deliver improvements to the health and disability benefits system, including proposals that stem from the Green Paper. Our ambition is to make the assessment process simpler, more user-friendly, easier to navigate and more joined-up for claimants, whilst delivering better value for money for taxpayers.
Providers also work continuously to drive improvements in assessment services. They have introduced new management processes to drive performance across their services, including new or enhanced systems of assessment report quality checks, to improve the quality of advice the department receives. In addition, PIP assessment reports have been redesigned to have clearer justifications which support improved benefit decision making.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to her Answer of 21 June to Question 17850 on Personal Independence Payment: Tribunals, what contract management processes are in place for assessment providers.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) manages the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts robustly, and has a full set of service level agreements setting out our expectations for service delivery. We ensure a high standard is maintained, having an independent audit function that continually monitors performance, and provides feedback to assessment providers. Quality performance is also regularly reviewed through DWP and provider senior governance meetings at a national level, and in each of the provider areas.
The contracts allow us to recover any financial loss caused by poor performance, and we have the right to terminate the contract if there is sustained underperformance.
We are committed to continuously improving the assessment service and have reiterated this in the Shaping Future Support: The Health and Disability Green Paper. During the Green Paper consultation period, we explored ways in which we could improve the current system of assessments, including by:
We are considering all the responses to the Green Paper proposals as we consider what future policy changes might look like, which we will set out in the White Paper later this year.
The department’s Health Transformation Programme (HTP) will deliver improvements to the health and disability benefits system, including proposals that stem from the Green Paper. Our ambition is to make the assessment process simpler, more user-friendly, easier to navigate and more joined-up for claimants, whilst delivering better value for money for taxpayers.
Providers also work continuously to drive improvements in assessment services. They have introduced new management processes to drive performance across their services, including new or enhanced systems of assessment report quality checks, to improve the quality of advice the department receives. In addition, PIP assessment reports have been redesigned to have clearer justifications which support improved benefit decision making.