{"id":123194,"date":"2026-07-20T10:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=123194"},"modified":"2026-07-20T10:43:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T09:43:43","slug":"dwp-renews-thousands-of-pip-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/dwp-renews-thousands-of-pip-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"DWP Renews Thousands of PIP Awards Without Check-Ups as Backlog Continues"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Official figures show that the number of awards renewed without change has increased sharply since before the Covid-19 pandemic, while only a small proportion of claimants now attend an in-person consultation<\/strong>. The figures come as the Government prepares wider reforms to the disability benefits system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest data highlights how the DWP is increasingly relying on existing awards remaining in place during the review process. According to reports, 7,213 people had their PIP awards “maintained” in April, compared with 1,271 before the pandemic, representing a rise of 467 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PIP is designed to support people whose health condition or disability affects their daily living or mobility. Awards <\/strong>may be made for a fixed period with or without a review, or as an ongoing award with a light-touch review, depending on the decision reached during the assessment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most Renewed Awards Related to Anxiety and Depression<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The figures show that mental health conditions accounted for the majority of maintained awards. According to the published data, 5,300 renewed claims related to mixed anxiety and depressive disorders, while 1,078 involved depressive disorder and 835 related to anxiety disorders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official data also indicates that only around five per cent of claimants whose awards were renewed attended an in-person consultation. Most assessments were instead completed by telephone or on the basis of paperwork already available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PIP is awarded through two components:<\/a> Daily Living and Mobility. Each component can be paid at either the standard or enhanced rate depending on the number of assessment points awarded. Claimants scoring between eight and 11 points<\/strong> receive the standard rate, while those scoring 12 points<\/strong> or more qualify for the enhanced rate. Those scoring fewer than eight points are not awarded that component.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People claiming PIP <\/a>are assessed according to how their condition affects everyday activities, including washing, dressing and travelling safely outside the home. Reviews are intended to determine whether an award should continue, be reduced or end based on updated medical evidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
PIP renewals by mental health condition and assessment process \u00a9Shutterstock<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Government Says Reform of the System Is Underway<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The publication of the figures comes as ministers continue work on wider changes to the disability benefits system. According to the Department for Work and Pensions, the Timms Review Interim Report concluded that PIP “is no longer fit for purpose”, with final recommendations expected later this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A DWP spokesperson said the Government had inherited rising costs, poor outcomes for many claimants and a collapse in face-to-face assessments under the previous administration. The department said it is taking action by extending award review periods,<\/strong> a measure it says will reduce unnecessary pressure on disabled people while contributing savings of around \u00a32 billion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The interim review also states that the assessment system has failed to keep pace with modern understanding of disability and notes that increasing numbers of mental health-related claims have placed additional pressure on the welfare budget. The UK’s disability benefits bill is forecast to reach \u00a341 billion by 2030, as reported by GB News, while ministers say the forthcoming review will provide the basis for longer-term reform of the system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More than 7,200 Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims linked to anxiety and depression were maintained in April without a full reassessment, as the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) continues to deal with a significant assessment backlog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":123197,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-123194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-welfare","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123194"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123194\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":123198,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123194\/revisions\/123198"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/123197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}