Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of people claiming Personal Independence Payments had their award assessed through (a) a telephone consultation, (b) an in person assessment, (c) a paper based assessment and (d) a video assessment in each of the last ten years; and what the approval rate was for each method.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Management information on the number and proportion of Personal Independence Payments assessments by channel is published in Table 2.32 of the Pathways to Work: Evidence pack: Chapter 2 reforming the structure - GOV.UK. Telephone and video channels have only been available since 2020.
The information on approval rates requested is not readily available, and providing it would incur a disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has issued guidance to Capita on routinely recording interviews for all Personal Independence Payment assessments; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of requiring Capita to routinely record such interviews on (a) claimant experience and (b) access to information relevant to an appeal.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Currently, claimants can opt-in to having their Personal Independence Payment assessment recorded. Audio recording is available for face-to-face and telephone assessments with all the Department’s assessment providers. These arrangements are publicised on providers’ websites and in assessment invitation letters.
We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper our intention to change this approach to one where we record all health assessments as standard, with a process for claimants to opt-out of a recording should they choose. By doing so, we hope to improve people’s trust in the health assessment process, and we are currently developing our plans to implement this measure. We have not yet issued guidance to Capita or any health assessment provider about recording assessments as standard.
The Department is committed to monitoring the impacts of its policies. This includes monitoring the impact of audio recording health assessments as standard for disability benefits.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many face-to-face PIP assessments have taken place since July 2024, broken down by month.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face-to-face assessments carried out each month from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below.
Month | Face-to-Face |
Jul-24 | 6,000 |
Aug-24 | 3,000 |
Sep-24 | 1,000 |
Oct-24 | 3,000 |
Nov-24 | 4,000 |
Dec-24 | 3,000 |
Jan-25 | 4,000 |
Feb-25 | 4,000 |
Mar-25 | 4,000 |
Apr-25 | 4,000 |
May-25 | 4,000 |
Jun-25 | 5,000 |
Jul-25 | 5,000 |
Aug-25 | 4,000 |
Please Note
The number of PIP face-to-face assessments conducted is not available at a regional level. However, we can provide the information split by Lot. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments carried out by Lot from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below.
| Lot 1 - Northern England | Lot 2 - Midlands & Wales | Lot 3 - South-West | Lot 4 - London, South-East & East Anglia |
Jul-24 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | |
Aug-24 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 700 | |
Sep-24 | 200 | 1,000 | <100 | |
Oct-24 | 200 | 2,000 | 100 | 500 |
Nov-24 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 300 | 1,000 |
Dec-24 | 900 | 1,000 | 200 | 800 |
Jan-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 300 | 1,000 |
Feb-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 400 | 900 |
Mar-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 400 | 1,000 |
Apr-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 400 | 1,000 |
May-25 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 400 | 900 |
Jun-25 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 500 | 1,000 |
Jul-25 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 600 | 800 |
Aug-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 700 |
Please Note
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many face-to-face PIP assessments have been conducted in each region of the UK since July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) face-to-face assessments carried out each month from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below.
Month | Face-to-Face |
Jul-24 | 6,000 |
Aug-24 | 3,000 |
Sep-24 | 1,000 |
Oct-24 | 3,000 |
Nov-24 | 4,000 |
Dec-24 | 3,000 |
Jan-25 | 4,000 |
Feb-25 | 4,000 |
Mar-25 | 4,000 |
Apr-25 | 4,000 |
May-25 | 4,000 |
Jun-25 | 5,000 |
Jul-25 | 5,000 |
Aug-25 | 4,000 |
Please Note
The number of PIP face-to-face assessments conducted is not available at a regional level. However, we can provide the information split by Lot. The number of PIP face-to-face assessments carried out by Lot from July 2024 to August 2025 can be found in the table below.
| Lot 1 - Northern England | Lot 2 - Midlands & Wales | Lot 3 - South-West | Lot 4 - London, South-East & East Anglia |
Jul-24 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 2,000 | |
Aug-24 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 700 | |
Sep-24 | 200 | 1,000 | <100 | |
Oct-24 | 200 | 2,000 | 100 | 500 |
Nov-24 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 300 | 1,000 |
Dec-24 | 900 | 1,000 | 200 | 800 |
Jan-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 300 | 1,000 |
Feb-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 400 | 900 |
Mar-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 400 | 1,000 |
Apr-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 400 | 1,000 |
May-25 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 400 | 900 |
Jun-25 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 500 | 1,000 |
Jul-25 | 2,000 | 2,000 | 600 | 800 |
Aug-25 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 500 | 700 |
Please Note
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional staff have been employed to carry out face-to-face PIP assessments since July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of additional health professionals (HPs) employed to conduct face-to-face Personal Independence Payments (PIP) assessments is not held. This is because the data cannot be split to show the HPs recruited to deliver a specific type of assessment and the majority of the suppliers have multi-skilled HPs who deliver across multiple channels.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has targets for employing more staff to carry out face-to-face assessments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we are planning to increase the number of face-to-face health assessments. At the same time, we remain committed to offering alternative assessment channels to accommodate individuals who require a different approach, such as those needing reasonable adjustments.
All assessment suppliers have contractual requirements to increase the proportion of assessments conducted face-to-face. To meet these requirements, suppliers are expected to plan and manage recruitment accordingly with progress regularly reviewed.
The department is working closely with suppliers to explore ways to boost capacity for face-to-face assessments. A key focus is increasing the recruitment of suitably qualified health professionals to support delivery in assessment centres.
Suppliers continue to develop and implement strategies to enhance recruitment, training, and retention, ensuring that skilled staff are in place to support claimants effectively.
Asked by: Fred Thomas (Labour - Plymouth Moor View)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessments were conducted (a) face-to-face and (b) by phone in each of the last two years.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments carried out by (a) face-to-face and (b) telephone in the last two calendar years are readily available on tab T2_32_Assessment_by_Channel, in Tables 2.32a and 2.32b of Pathways to Work: Evidence pack: Chapter 2 reforming the structure.
In addition to face-to-face and telephone, PIP assessments have also been conducted via paper-based and video assessments during the time period requested. These assessment channels are also shown in the tables contained in the evidence pack.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to bring forward the timing of Personal Independence Payment review assessments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We have launched a review of the PIP assessment as a whole, to make sure it is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence. I am leading the review.
We published the Terms of Reference for the Review on 30 June 2025, and will update these shortly. We have committed to co-producing the review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders. We will engage widely over the summer to design the process for the work of the review and consider how it can best be co-produced to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon.
We are committed to concluding the review by Autumn 2026 and will report outcomes to the House in a ministerial Oral Statement. We have committed to a general debate on this, in Government time. The legislation to implement the outcomes of the review will not be brought forward until that has happened.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of mandating in-person appointments for personal independent payment assessments.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department is committed to assessing people as quickly as possible to ensure they receive the support they are entitled to in a timely manner.
Where there is sufficient available evidence, assessments are done by paper-based review, without the need for a formal consultation. If an in-person consultation is required this is completed either face-to-face, via telephone or via video call.
We announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper our intention to increase the number of face-to-face assessments, while preserving alternative health assessment channels to meet the specific needs of people who require them, for example as a reasonable adjustment. We are committed to continuing a multi-channel assessment service approach to meet the obligations of the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 63482 on Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations and with reference to her letter of 26 June 2025 on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, whether the announced exemption from reassessment for existing Personal Independence Payment claimants will also apply to the All Review claimants whose award is subject to a scheduled review or reassessment process at the time the exemption comes into force.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is committed to providing security and dignity for those who will never be able to work, and removing unnecessary stress, anxiety and uncertainty from the Social Security System. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill legislates to formally protect those with the most severe, lifelong health conditions, who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria, from being called for reassessments for their Universal Credit Health Element award. The Severe Conditions Criteria applies to customers in receipt of Universal Credit rather than those in receipt of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).