Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
Acknowledged
DWP developing new integrated IT system for Personal Independence Payment processing.
Conclusion
The Department also highlighted that it was trialling the idea of having a named caseworker to support claimants with the PIP application process: helping customers understand the eligibility requirements, talking them through the evidence they needed to provide, acting as a point of contact and explaining the final decision on their claim. It told us that it has not had an integrated IT system for PIP – each of the different elements have had their own IT, and the outsourced providers have had their IT. However, it was now developing a new IT system that would support the end-to-end process.34 Cyber risks and upgrading the Department’s legacy IT
Government Response Summary
The department will provide the committee with requested information by the end of March 2026, and is offering opportunities to reduce journey times through service improvements.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
4.2 The current average (median) duration for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) New Claims stands at 16 weeks (October 2025) having not exceeded this level during any month since September 2022 and representing substantial improvement from a high of 26 19 weeks during August 2021. Further improvements in the longer-term will be delivered by the Health Transformation Programme. 4.3 The department is also providing opportunities to reduce journey times through service improvements. For example, offering over 90% of customers facility to submit claims digitally after calling to register claims, reducing delays such as postage time. 4.4 Recognising the Committee’s interest in tracking improvements, and as published within the 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts (ARA), the department has reviewed its timeliness standards, which reflect current policy and drive correct outcomes. This will be included in the 2025-26 ARA. The department is standardising its measures across service lines to 90% of cases cleared format. The department will however write to the Committee to provide the information available as requested, by the end of March 2026, to close this recommendation. 4.5 In addition to modernising the department’s services and improving baseline performance, an additional 200 staff have been deployed in the past year. This increased capacity has enabled 416,000 planned Award Reviews to be processed between April and October 2025, an increase of 162,000 compared to the previous year, reducing delays for changes of entitlement during planned reviews. 4.6 PIP is not an income replacement benefit, as immediate support for people on low incomes with their living costs is available through Universal Credit. Successful PIP claims are backdated to the date of application.