Almost seven million claims have been made for PIP in England and Wales since the benefit was introduced 10 years ago

New statistics also show that there have been almost 100,000 claims for ADP in Scotland since March 2022

Almost seven million claims have been made for personal independence payment (PIP) in England and Wales since the benefit was introduced 10 years ago, according to new DWP statistics.

In Personal Independence Payment statistics to April 2023, the DWP highlights that 6.8 million new claims have been registered since April 2013 and that, as at 30 April 2023, 3 million claimants had a current entitlement with 36 per cent receiving the highest level of award.

Turning to the types of claim made over the last ten years, the DWP reports that while the number of new claims per quarter showed little change initially, there has been a sharp increase in the number since Covid-19 provisions began – with 210,000 made (and 160,000 cleared) in the latest quarter to April 2023 representing the highest level ever. In addition, over the same quarter –

• 27,000 changes of circumstances were reported and 24,000 were cleared;
• 20,000 disability living allowance (DLA) reassessments were registered, with 15,000 cleared; and
• 130,000 planned award reviews were registered and 130,000 were cleared (the highest level of planned award review clearances since PIP began).

Monthly registrations and clearances for initial claims, planned award reviews and changes of circumstance, all claims to April 2023

The DWP comments –

'From March 2020 onwards, Covid-19 provisions were put in place. There were major changes in DWP policy and customer behaviour, including a temporary halt to face-to-face contact and some DLA reassessment and award review activity. In most cases activity has resumed, although new invitations to claim PIP for working age DLA claimants are not currently being sent out.'

In respect of outcomes, the DWP reports that in the quarter to April 2023 –

• 43 per cent of all new claim clearances (excluding withdrawn), and 51 per cent of those who were assessed by a health care professional, received an award; and
• 72 per cent of all DLA reassessment clearances (excluding withdrawn), and 78 per cent of those who were assessed, received an award.

While the DWP also reports separately for Scotland, the Scottish Government has today published its own statistics both in relation to PIP and to the Adult Disability Payment (ADP) that was introduced in pilot areas from 21 March 2022 and launched nationally on 29 August 2022.

Key findings in Scotland include –

• the number of people entitled to PIP has been steadily reducing since November 2022 and now stands at 298,427;
• there have been 95,555 part 1 applications registered for ADP since its introduction, and 54,445 part 2 applications received; and
• as of 30 April 2023, 55,535 people were in receipt of ADP, of which 44 per cent were new applicants and 56 per cent had had their award transferred from the DWP.

For more information, see Personal Independence Payment statistics April 2013 to April 2023 from gov.uk