Amber Rudd announces scrapping of controversial PIP payment review for pensioners

Amber Rudd has cited her father’s blindness as the motivating factor in an announcement that the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is to scrap repeat tests for pensioners receiving PIP payments.

This change means roughly 270,000 pensioners currently receiving, or about to receive, PIP (Personal Independence Payment) disability benefits will move to a light touch review every 10 years instead of facing the “unnecessary experience” of regular tests.

‘Disabled pensioners have paid into our system for their whole lives’

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said: “I reflected on my father’s lack of sight, and how it affected his life and the lives of those who loved him, as I considered my role in supporting disabled people in Britain.

“Disabled pensioners have paid into our system for their whole lives and deserve the full support of the state when they need it most. This government, therefore, intends to change the landscape for disabled people in Britain: to level the terrain and smooth their path.

“The changes I am setting out today, including stopping unnecessary reassessments for disabled pensioners, are a step forward in improving quality of life for the UK’s 14 million disabled people.”

Ms Rudd outlined the changes during a speech at the disabled charity Scope, saying: “We will improve and simplify the customer experience by no longer undertaking regular reviews of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards for claimants at or above State Pension age unless they tell us their needs have changed.”

The changes mean people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) who have reached State Pension age will no longer have their awards regularly reviewed, unless their circumstances have changed. Other significant changes to be brought in include combining several separate assessment processes.

Ms Rudd said: “We will also be transforming the delivery of assessment services. I have established the Health Transformation Programme to undertake the significant task of transitioning the currently separate Work Capability Assessment (WCA) for Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit (UC), and the PIP assessment services into one unified, integrated service from 2021.”

To effect this change, the minister said: “A single digital platform” would be created with “an integrated approach” to allow for “a more joined-up claimant experience”.

‘This measure should never have been in place to start with’

Not everyone is convinced by the DWP’s change of stance on disability assessments, but many charities and organisations welcomed the changes anyway. George McNamara, director of policy and influencing at Independent Age, said: “This measure should never have been in place to start with. Removing the need for repeated reassessment will be a huge sigh of relief for thousands of disabled pensioners, which due to its mandatory nature caused unnecessary stress and anxiety.”

Mr McNamara added: “The Government has rightly listened to such concerns and we hope further changes are made to improve the delivery of this vital support.”

The charity echoed the sentiments of other organisations and pressure groups who have stated the changes still don’t go far enough.

Scope's Mark Hodgkinson said: "We welcome the announcements on PIP, but a more radical overhaul of the PIP and ESA tests is needed, and we would urge the secretary of state to commit to this further reform.

"Disabled people also want to see action taken to scrap counterproductive benefit sanctions. They make it harder for disabled people to get into work."

Genevieve Edwards, director of external affairs for the MS Society, said: “While it's good news that older disabled people will no longer have to go through unnecessary and stressful reassessments, millions of others will still be stuck in a failing system.”

Another U-turn on flagship benefits policy from the Government

This is not the first time Ms Rudd has backtracked on flagship benefits policies this year. The minister has made a couple of major announcements about Universal Credit benefits since January, such as the benefits cap for households with more than two children.

Other changes announced include a test to see whether it is beneficial to claimants requiring face-to-face assessments to offer a single assessment for Universal Credit and PIP to capture all the information required for both claims in one appointment, reducing the need for claimants of both benefits to attend multiple appointments.

The minister also revealed she will review the government’s goal to see one million more disabled people in work by 2027 with a view to making it more ambitious.