Select committee: Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 23
First Report: DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak
Published 22 Jun 2020
Paragraph 134
Addressed to Department for Work and Pensions
Work and Pensions Committee DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
In January 2020, a third of PIP claimants and half of ESA claimants who challenged the DWP through a Mandatory Reconsideration had the decision changed in their favour. Between April 2013 and September 2019, two thirds of PIP and ESA decisions that were taken to a tribunal were overturned in favour of the claimant. That means that, for the majority of people who appeal, they have to spend weeks living on far less support than they are entitled to. Delays in the appeals process were already unacceptably long before coronavirus, and the pandemic has only exacerbated them. For people who do reach a tribunal, remote hearings make it harder than ever for them to put their case forward. We recommend that the Department assesses the impact that the coronavirus outbreak has had on the length of time taken by the Mandatory Reconsideration and appeals processes. In light of the evidence of increased delays, we recommend that the Department pay people who are appealing a PIP decision an assessment rate, as they do for ESA claimants.
From: Work and Pensions Committee, First Report: DWP's response to the coronavirus outbreak (HC 178), paragraph 134, 22 June 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 8 September 2020.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response sets out DWP's actions on the Committee's recommendations, committing to some further work on health assessments, terminal illness guidance and publishing evidence on the self-employed, while giving reasons for not changing other policies.
- On legacy benefits, DWP has "no plans to increase these benefits further at this stage", and says rates will be reviewed in the autumn up-rating exercise for April 2021.
- On audio recording of assessments, the government says it is "currently developing an approach" for telephone PIP assessments and Work Capability Assessments, without stating a date.
- On health and safety inspections, it says a "new rigid numerical target system would hamper the effectiveness and flexibility of operations" and that HSE uses a risk based, intelligence led approach.
- On the Employment Bill, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy "will bring forward detailed proposals on legislation in due course"; DWP "will look to publish evidence on the self-employed".