The latest PIP statistics released by the DWP suggest that the switch from face-to-face assessments to telephone assessments has had little effect on the chances of a fresh claim being successful. However, the statistics do not tell us whether awards are still being given at the same rate and the success rate from DLA to PIP reassessments has plunged.
The overall average success rate for PIP fresh claims since the benefit began is 41%.
The latest PIP statistics, covering May to July, show that success rates for fresh claims has levelled out to a little below this average. This follows some big fluctuations.
Success rates for fresh claims, excluding terminal illness, so far this year are:
- Jan 35%
- Feb 28%
- Mar 43%
- Apr 54%
- May 38%
- Jun 37%
- Jul 38%
This suggests that a switch to telephone assessments, rather than face-to-face, has not made a dramatic difference to the percentage of claimants getting an award of some sort.
But we cannot tell from the published statistics whether award rates are still the same. So, we have no way of knowing if more or fewer people are getting the enhanced rates of PIP since the move to telephone assessments.
For DLA to PIP reassessments, the story is a different one. The average success rate since reassessments began is 71%. But that number has dived in the last two months:
- Jan 69%
- Feb 64%
- Mar 68%
- Apr 76%
- May 77%
- Jun 61%
- Jul 40%
However, very few DLA to PIP reassessments took place between April and June of this year, so these figures may be an anomaly.
We will keep readers informed as new statistics come in.
You can download the latest PIP statistics from the gov.uk site
