To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have died while waiting for their personal independence payment assessment to be completed; and what conditions those people died from.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people who applied for personal independence payment died within six months of making their application.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have died while waiting for their eligibility for personal independence payment to be determined, and what the main disabling condition was of those people.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is claimed by people with a range of health conditions and disabilities, many of which are degenerative or life limiting.

All benefit claims can be made under the special rules for people who are terminally ill which will mean that they are fast tracked. These are currently being cleared within 6 working days for new claimants to PIP. The Department would encourage all claimants with a terminal illness to let the department know and to apply using the special rules.

The cause of death of PIP claimants is not collated centrally by the Department.

Over 3.6 million applications to PIP were made between April 2013 and 30th April 2018. Of these:

• 4,760 claimants¹ died between their case being referred to, and returned from, an assessment provider;
• 73,800 claimants died within 6 months of their claim being registered; and
• 17,070 claimants died after registering but prior to the DWP making a decision on their claim. Details of the claimant’s primary medical condition, where recorded, are in the accompanying spreadsheet.

Notes:

• These figures include claims made under both Normal Rules and Special Rules for the Terminally Ill and include new claims and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to PIP reassessment claims.
• ¹These figures only include claimants whose case has been referred to an assessment provider and who died before their case was returned from an assessment provider to DWP. All new claims and DLA to PIP reassessment claims which reach the assessment stage are referred to an assessment provider.
• The point of application is taken as the day the claimant registered a claim to PIP as recorded on the PIP computer system.
• This is unpublished data from the PIP computer system’s (PIP CS) management information. It should be used with caution and it may be subject to future revision.
• Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
• Figures cover claims made up to and including 30^th April 2018.
• GB only.

Under the Social Security (Notification of Deaths) Regulations 2012 and s125 of Social Security Administration Act 1992 date of death is provided to the Department for all registered deaths. Additionally next of kin also provide information on the date of death of an individual and this information is used appropriately in the administration of Departmental benefits.