In yet another lurch towards secrecy, the DWP have suddenly stopped publishing PIP assessment success rates in their quarterly statistical reports.  However, using the DWP’s Stat-Xplore tool Benefits and Work has created them for you and they show a further drop in claimants getting an award.

PIP assessment rates removed

 When the DWP published their quarterly PIP official statistics this week, along with PIP clearance spreadsheets, for the first time the percentage of PIP claims that were successful was omitted.

Usually there are stats giving the success rates both for PIP claims overall and for claims where an assessment has taken place.

No reason was given for the removal of the figures, but it fits with the growing culture of secrecy at the DWP.  In recent months they refused to publish a report on the unmet needs of disability benefits claimants, in spite of government guidelines which required them to do so. 

And the Disability News Service is currently trying to force the DWP to publish statistics on how many people pass the work capability assessment for universal credit, something which the DWP have shamefully refused to do ever since the benefit was introduced. 

PIP assessment rates restored

However, Benefits and Work has used the DWP’s Stat-Xplore tool to work out the PIP assessment success rates for the most recent quarter that figures are available for, November 2021 to January 2022.

The percentage of new PIP claimants who got an award following a Capita or Atos (IAS) assessment are:

  • November 47%
  • December 46%
  • January 46%

For comparison, the figures for the months August to October 2021 were 50%, 48% and 48% respectively.  And the average assessment success rate for the whole period since PIP was introduced stands at 55%.

There are only three months in the history of PIP when assessment rates fell below 46%, and they were early in the pandemic when figures were very unreliable.

A two percent drop, from 48% to 46% may seem small.  But it actually means around one thousand fewer claimants getting an award of PIP each month.

And a drop of 9%, the difference between the January average and the overall average, means around 4,500 fewer claimants are getting an award of PIP every month.  That’s an awful lot of disabled people missing out on financial support that could change their lives.

And the decision by the DWP to stop publishing these figures suggests that they expect this figure to continue to fall -  and they would rather claimants did not know about it.

But we’ll make sure you do.

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    Porridge · 2 years ago
    Well done, B&W for being able to tease-out the facts by using the DWP’s Stat-Xplore tool! Every time I have used it, it has led me down a nightmarish rabbit hole and has left me without any answers.

    I would really like to know, currently, on average, how long before a claimant’s PIP claim expiry/end date they are most likely to receive a letter demanding that they renew their claim? I often see “approximately one year before the end date” being stated as being most usual but given the huge back log of fresh PIP claims, I would like to know if that is a true and accurate date. Also, on B&W there is often talk of people’s end dates coming and going and yet claimants are just left with no communication from the DWP. I have no idea how to uncover that statistic. Maybe a FoI request. 🤷
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    Tulip · 2 years ago
    I was amazed or bemused: I received standard daily living rate and nil points for mobility! I appealed last year just before Christmas 2021. January 2022 awarded 14 points.  Now awaiting my motorbility vehicle which will be September. I am overjoyed on the result but I had a terrible phone assessment. The assessor was yawning!! Pleased with the result.
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    Barbara Hill · 2 years ago
    I was awarded PIP, at a tribunal, about 3 years ago, having received zero points at assessment and mandatory reconsideration.  The court emphasised that the rules had been misinterpreted by the assessor aand DWP.  I had to reapply by November last year, which I did.  I had a telephone assessment in December and in January I was informed that my PIP was to stop at the beginning of February.  The decisions are, in my opinion, nonsensical.  One of the things that was mentioned was that I had not seen my GP for over 2 years.  I d9n't know many people that have seen a GP during the pandemic and my GP has only just started seeing patients, under special circumstances.  I have also only seen a couple of the consultants I am under during the hiatus the pandemic has caused.  According to the assessor and DWP, my conditions are stable and I therefore no longer need help, whereas I am still awaiting two surgical procedures and am in danger of tendons snapping.  I told the assessor I could walk the distance between two lampposts, very slowly and would have to stop to exercise my ankle and regain my breath.  That translated to my being able to walk 200 metres without any problem.  I suspect the main agenda for DWP is that I will be 66 in a few months and therefore no longer able to make a new claim for PIP.  

    I have, with the assistance of CAB, put in for mandatory reconsideration and, assuming that fails, am prepared to go to another tribunal.
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      Sharon · 2 years ago
      @Kamila Hi I won at tribunal 2020 for 1 year then did my renewal in January and got 0 points same with MR I’m at tribunal next week surely they could see I had won at tribunal previously but no putting me through it all again 😤I’ve since been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and updated all my medication and doctors notes for my appeal so all depends on next week now but the system is a joke the way they award people they need professional medical staff not just someone who doesn’t understand our health problems 
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      Kamila · 2 years ago
      @Barbara Hill I feel like I'm reading my answer. It was the same for me 0 points 3 years ago, won in tribunal, new claim in January and again 0 points. Because someone that clearly don't know how hard it is to live in constant pain DECIDED that I am fine. I swear I could rip that person new poop hole ugh. Done my mandatory reconsideration but got a feeling I'm gonna end up at tribunal again which I'm absolutely dreading as it took such a big tool on me last time. 
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    Jan · 2 years ago
    I help my sister and my son with their PIP claims/renewals. My sister’s standard daily living award has just been stopped after 10 years. Her health has deteriorated and her needs have increased. We have lodged an appeal.  My son has autism and unable to leave house alone and his enhanced awards for daily living and mobility were both changed to standard but now restored following mandatory reconsideration. Both had telephone assessments which were not fit for purpose. But I do think that assessors and decision makers are being drilled in withholding points in order to reduce benefits expenditure. 
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    Julie · 2 years ago
    My PIP assessment has been put back from January 23 to October, dreading it after reading how abysmal the DWP is. 
    I will probably have to pay £10 for 6 months on my blue badge because if this, I can’t tell you how anxious I am about the next assessment as I am a pensioner now and I will bet they want me off PIP now 
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    Jules · 2 years ago
    Is this for new PIP claims, or reassessments, or both?
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    Paul · 2 years ago
    There is a sense of desperation here from the DWP.  If they have to hide anything then its not good news.  The Scottish version of disability support should be adopted once it has been bed in but under current administration it won't. 

    What I hope it does is show the public how it should be done and put  pressure on the government to hold the DWP to account.  Currently the DWP has a monopoly when posative alternative is made public then the DWP will be under pressure to adopt the approach or at least say why current approach is better.

    Mind you the assessments are in chaos and 4 bilion is to be given to private companies to process the assessments.  I forsee big problems here (Appeals, MRs etc) 

    I would say don't give up and let the baskets get you down.  You are stronger than you think.

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    anees292 · 2 years ago
    Yes we trusted your B&W
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