The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a statement addressing proposals for more regular 'check-ins' with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants, after a report suggested the current system leaves many people "dreading" contact from the department.
The update follows a Resolution Foundation report examining claimants' experiences of being on PIP. One recommendation was that the DWP should "move to a system of more frequent, but lower-stakes, engagement", including "light-touch digital updates" to ask how a person's health condition has changed. The foundation said a current "flaw" of the system is that once an award has been made, the next review is often "years later" with no contact from the DWP in between.
PIP payments are intended to help with the extra living costs associated with having a long-term health condition or disability. Your award level is decided by the extent to which your condition impacts you in your daily life and mobility.
Support for more regular contact
Rebecca Lamb, external relations manager at benefits support group Money Wellness, said more regular contact could have a positive impact. She said: "More regular contact could help, provided people feel it's there to make sure they're getting the right level of support."
She said the reality is many claimants hear nothing for years before suddenly being told their claim is up for reassessment. Ms Lamb warned: "At the moment, you can go years without hearing anything and then face a full reassessment that could cost you hundreds of pounds a month if it goes the wrong way, so it's no surprise so many people dread that email or envelope landing on the mat."
She added: "A quick check-in by app or online, much like the Universal Credit journal, would let people report a change when it happens, including when things get worse and they need more help."
Benefits of regular checks
Household finances expert Hannah Martin, founder of Rich Retiree, also thinks more regular contact from the DWP could help ensure claimants get the help they need. She explained: "Some people's circumstances can change after they are awarded PIP. Some people may need more support for their condition over time, and others less. They may also develop new conditions or face extra costs as they get older."
She noted that currently, it is the responsibility of claimants to report any relevant changes. She said one benefit of having regular checks is that it would mean the DWP can respond "more quickly to deterioration or improvements in claimants' conditions, and help people feel confident that their needs are recognised and help is easily accessible."
However, she said the DWP should take care to design these checks so they are appropriate to individual people's situations, do not leave a claimant feeling they need to justify their needs each time or fear that essential support will be removed, and do not simply create more paperwork and bureaucracy for claimants.
Calls to go further
The team at Money Wellness called for more changes to improve communication and better support PIP claimants. Ms Lamb said: "We'd like to see that idea go further. If you tell the DWP your condition has worsened, you shouldn't then have to explain it all over again to your energy supplier, your water company and your bank before you can get extra help or a social tariff. A 'tell us once' system that shares information across services, with your consent, would mean help reaches people earlier, before bills start to build up."
She also had a practical suggestion for claimants about keeping their records in order for when they are contacted by the department. Ms Lamb said: "In the meantime, if your condition has changed, keeping a simple diary of your good and bad days will make it much easier to explain what's going on when you're asked."
DWP response
A DWP spokesperson said: "As the Timms Review's interim report made clear, PIP is no longer fit for purpose and the recommendations from its final report will lay the foundation for sustainable reform." The department said it does carry out regular checks for PIP claims in the form of award reviews.
The group said claimants should contact the DWP if they think their needs have changed. As of April 2026, the department has reduced the frequency of repeated reviews for PIP claims. For most claimants over 25, their first review will be after a minimum of three years. Assuming they are still entitled then, their next review will be in at least another five years' time.
The DWP said it also contacts claimants with an uprating letter, to tell them how much their payments will increase with the April rise in benefits. This letter also reminds claimants they should report any changes that may affect their award.
A major review of PIP is currently underway. DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms is co-chairing the study, looking at how the system could be improved to better suit the needs of people with a long-term health condition. A final report for the review, with a series of recommendations for the Government, is expected to be published in November 2026.
