DWP video assessments for PIP, Universal Credit and ESA benefit claimants could increase after new deal announced
dailyrecord.co.ukThe Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has awarded a multi-million-pound contract to leading video specialist provider, Involve Visual Collaboration Limited, to host and record video assessments for health benefit claimants as an alternative to face-to-face meetings.
The initial two-year contract is worth £3.95 million, with the option to extend it for a further two years, making it worth up to £7.79m in total.
The contract forms a critical part of the DWP’s Strategic Digital Video Project, which is increasing efficiencies and cost savings by virtualising the benefits service available to claimants across the UK, a situation which has been accelerated as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
A recent DWP National Statistics report revealed that the total number of benefit claimants increased rapidly during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, rising from 20.5 million in February 2020 to 23 million in February 2021.
Read more on dailyrecord.co.uk