DWP issues important PIP payment update for people coming to end of their award period

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced that it has developed an ‘automated digital solution’ to extend Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards to prevent them going out of payment due to delays in award review assessments being carried out.

PIP awards can be given for anywhere between three months to 10 years, however, the DWP has the right to review this award at any time - the original award letter may tell you the likely review date.

But, in a written response to a query by Apsana Begum MP, the DWP said it is currently dealing with a backlog of award reviews which has led to some awards being extended more than once.

The Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse, asked: “How many and what proportion of Personal Independence Payment claims are auto-extended on more than one occasion due to a backlog of claims being processed by assessment providers, such that an assessment cannot be undertaken within the first period of auto-extension?” In a written response earlier this week, DWP Minister, Chloe Smith MP, said: “To protect PIP customers, we have developed an automated digital solution which essentially extends the current award for cases where there is a risk that the claim will fall out of payment. “As we see continuing high demand for PIP new claims, customers are currently waiting longer than expected to have their claim reviewed, which has led to some awards being extended more than once.”Ms Smith added that the information requested on multiple extensions is not readily available and could only be provided at “disproportionate cost”.