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Missed opportunities in latest PIP review

A second independent review into how Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is working was published today.

Following a first review commissioned by the Government in 2014, this one makes further recommendations to improve how PIP is implemented.

What did the Review find?

The Review focuses on some areas of concern including:

  • being clearer about what ‘further evidence’ is helpful and your role in gathering it
  • improving fairness and consistency of assessments to help people trust the system
  • evaluating and improving PIP in the longer term.



It also makes important comments around:

  • improving communication with people claiming PIP
  • giving evidence from carers enough weight in the assessment
  • giving people the opportunity to say they'd like information the DWP already has about them (eg from their DLA or ESA claim) to be used.

But there are lots of concerns we raised in the evidence we submitted to the Review that it doesn't address.

Government must act on concerns

While we welcome aspects of this Review, we’re disappointed that it largely misses an opportunity to improve a welfare system that currently doesn’t make sense.

Since PIP was introduced, we’ve expressed many concerns about a claim process that’s extremely stressful and difficult to navigate. We've questioned the accuracy of assessments and whether they reflect the realities of living with MS.

It’s good that the Review recognises the process needs to be fairer and more consistent. But it lacks important details on how this should be achieved.

As the PIP roll-out is still ongoing, its full impact remains unclear. Given this, and recent moves that make it more difficult to access, we’re urging the Government to act to make sure PIP makes sense for people with MS.