The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has initiated a trial of a new assessment system for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), moving decision-making away from medical professionals. Under the current system, healthcare practitioners conduct assessments and assign points that determine eligibility for payments of up to £194.60 per week.
New System Shifts Decision-Making to Case Managers
The revised process will see DWP case managers taking on the responsibility of awarding points based on assessments carried out by nurses, physiotherapists, and other health experts. A trial involving 150,000 claimants is already underway, and if successful, it could be extended to assessments for the health-related component of Universal Credit.
Concerns Raised by Disability Campaigners
Disability advocacy groups have voiced strong opposition to the change, arguing it will lead to less accurate outcomes. A whistleblower within the DWP reportedly told Disability Rights UK: “Removing health professionals from the decision-making process will strip out essential medical nuance, leading to poorer quality, less accurate, and less fair outcomes. Many vulnerable claimants will face wrong decisions, increased stress, financial hardship, and unnecessary appeals.”
Fazilet Hadi, head of policy at Disability Rights UK, described the move as “a recipe for disaster,” warning that it would result in “thousands of poorly informed and inaccurate decisions.” She added: “Claiming PIP is intensely personal; we have to talk about the impacts of our impairments and health conditions, in ways many of us find emotionally and practically difficult. At least we have some chance of our individual needs and circumstances being understood, when the recommendations are being made by the people we have actually spoken to.”
DWP Defends the Trial
A DWP spokesperson defended the initiative, stating: “Case managers already make all final PIP decisions - that has not changed. This small-scale trial is about re-balancing roles so that assessors focus on what they do best, freeing up capacity by reducing duplication, and empowering case managers to apply their own judgement based on all the evidence.”
Changes to Review Periods
In a separate development, the DWP has also announced changes to review intervals for PIP awards. New claims will see a minimum review period of three years, rising to five years at the next review if the claimant remains entitled. This adjustment aims to reduce the frequency of reassessments for most claimants, although it does not apply to those aged 24 and under.
