PIP recipients petitioned to stop needing to repeat their assessments (Image: GETTY)
initiated in January is rallying support to halt the Department for Work and Pensions () from continually reassessing disabled individuals for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). The campaign has already attracted more than 14,000 signatures, reflecting a growing discontent with the current system.
PIP serves as a crucial aid for disabled and chronically ill citizens in the UK but the application process is infamously difficult, plagued by delays, extensive paperwork, and stressful assessments designed to judge the impact of a person’s condition on their ability to claim the benefit.
Once claimants navigate this hurdle, they must undergo reassessment periodically to maintain their entitlement. Gary Robinson, the man behind the petition on the Parliament website, condemned these recurrent assessments as “dehumanising, and interrogation-like”, adding: “Interviews and repeated legal battles to prove entitlements to benefits are distressing.”
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Robinson highlighted the burden on those with genuine disabilities who are forced to repeatedly submit medical evidence, sometimes incurring personal costs, just to affirm their ongoing eligibility.
If the petition garners 100,000 signatures by June 23, it may be considered for a Parliamentary debate. Meanwhile, the Government has issued a detailed response to the petition’s claims.
A spokesperson said: “Personal Independence Payment is based on needs and not condition. Award reviews are a key feature of the benefit and ensure that payments accurately match the current needs of claimants.”
The acknowledged that assessments can be stressful and highlighted the availability of various assessment options, including face-to-face and telephone assessments.
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It continued: “Award durations are based on an individual’s circumstances and can vary from nine months to an on-going award which is subject to a light touch review at the 10-year point.
“On PIP, 3.2 million initial decisions following an assessment have been made between July 2019 and June 2024; 7% have been appealed, 4% have been cleared at a tribunal hearing and 3% have been overturned.”
The Government reiterated its commitment to reforming the health and disability benefits system, aiming to promote employment, support independent living for disabled individuals, and ensure long-term financial sustainability. “We are working to develop proposals for reform in the months ahead and will set them out in a Green Paper ahead of the Spring Statement later this year. The Green Paper will include proposals intended to enable further improvement in assessment quality.”