Thousands winning DWP PIP through appeal face almost twice the wait times

More than 400,000 benefit claimants won an award for Personal Independence Payments after logging for a mandatory in the last five years.

A mandatory reconsideration is a process in which, after making an initial claim for PIP that was denied, you can tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that you disagree with the decision and can have the claim looked at again. The free process applies to a wide range range of benefits including PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Income Support, and more.

According to official data, 34 per cent of the 1.3 million mandatory reconsiderations logged for PIP led to a positive change in the past five years. PIP aims to assist individuals with a disability, long-term illness or physical or mental health condition with additional daily living or mobility expenses.

A successful claim for PIP can range from £28.70 to £184.30 per week, but is paid every four weeks, equating to between £114.80 and £737. A person could be awarded the highest rate of both and receive the maximum, £737.20 each pay period, or the standard rate of both, £405.40.

Disability minister Sir Stephen Timms revealed in response to a written question in Parliament that 32,000 people were initially provided zero points on their PIP award in the past five years but then went on to receive the enhanced rate after a mandatory reconsideration. Despite this, concerns have been raised over the increasing length of time it takes for a mandatory reconsideration to be completed.

Official figures state that the time for a decision to be reached had almost doubled in the 37 days in December 2023 to the average of 71 days in July 2024. Mr TImms himself noted that wait times have dropped slightly though to an average of 69 working days in September 2024.

A DWP spokesperson told the Sun: "We support millions of people every year and our priority is they receive a supportive service and get the benefits they are entitled to as soon as possible. We are learning from appeals and working closely with our assessment providers to improve our processes and decision making.”

Who is eligible for PIP?

To be eligible for PIP, you must have a health conditions or disability that means you:

• have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for 3 months
• expect these difficulties to continue for at least 9 months

You usually need to have lived in the UK for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply. In addition to what we have outlined above, if you get or need help with any of the following because of your condition, you should consider applying for PIP :

• making decisions about money
• engaging and communicating with other people
• preparing, cooking or eating food
• reading and understanding written information
• dressing and undressing
• managing your medication
• washing, bathing or using the toilet
• moving around
• planning a journey or following a route

How to make a new claim for PIP

You can initiate a new claim by contacting the DWP. All the information you need to apply can be found on the GOV.UK website here.

Before you call, ensure you have:

• your date of birth
• your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
• dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
• your bank or building society account number and sort code
• your contact details
• your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits