An introduction to Personal Independence Payment for support organisations

1. An introduction to Personal Independence Paymentfor support organisations 10 Aug 2012

2. A new benefit for disabled people is being introduced • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for eligible working age claimants from 8 April 2013 • Disability Living Allowance has been in place for almost 20 years largely unchanged • DLA does not have some of the checks that are a key part of other state benefits and it needs to be brought up to date. • DLA can sometimes focus more on an individual’s condition rather than the needs that actually arise • The overall cost of DLA has risen by a third over the last nine years and the number of people claiming DLA has also continued to increase • More than 5000 individuals (including DWP staff) and 500 organisations gave their views about DLA reform back in 2011

3. What’s new? • PIP will help towards some of the extra costs arising from ill health or disability. It is based on how a claimant’s condition affects them not on what condition they have • It will include an assessment of individual needs carried out by trained health professionals. Most people will be asked to attend a face-to-face consultation. • To make a new claim, individuals must have needed help for at least 3 months and be likely to need it for at least another 9 months • Most awards will be for a fixed period and will be reviewed to ensure that claimants continue to receive the right support • Claims will be started over the phone, and eventually be available online too

4. What’s not changing? • Decisions on eligibility will still be made by DWP decision makers • Children will continue to claim DLA until they are 16 - they’ll need to decide whether to claim PIP when they reach 16 • DLA will remain for people aged 65 and over • People receiving Attendance Allowance will not be affected by the introduction of PIP • PIP is non means tested, non taxable, and is payable both in and out of work • Special rules will remain to support claimants who are terminally ill • PIP will still act as a passport to other benefits or services

5. April 2013 June 2013 New Claims start in April 2013 New claims to PIP will be taken including from people living in Cheshire, Cumbria, Merseyside, North East England and North West England New claims national rollout

6. October 2013 Spring 2016 Reassessment starts in October 2013 • Reassessment of existing DLA claimants between 16 and 64 years old will start in October 2013 • If an existing DLA claimant reports a change in their condition after October 2013 then they will be asked to claim PIP instead • If an existing DLA claimant reaches the review date of their DLA award then they will be asked to claim PIP (unless they’ve already received an invitation to renew their DLA claim) • All other claimants, including those receiving lifetime or indefinite awards will be contacted before March 2016. We’ll randomly select claimants for reassessment during this time • Once selected for reassessment, claimants will be asked to claim PIP • If they do, then their DLA award will normally continue until a decision on the PIP claim is made • If they don’t claim PIP then their DLA claim will end to

7. The new assessment • The PIP assessment will involve health professionals who consider the evidence provided by the claimant, along with any further medical evidence they think is needed • It assesses disabled people as individuals, and focuses on the impact their condition has on their daily lives and over a range of different activities • Most people will be asked to a face-to-face consultation with a health professional as part of the claim process. Claimants can take somebody with them to the consultation • Home visits will be available when necessary • Face-to-face consultations may not be necessary for everyone – for example, those who are terminally may not have to have them • The assessment provider will send a report back to the DWP decision maker

8. Daily Living Mobility Enhanced Enhanced 12points Standard Standard 8 points Not Entitled Not Entitled Components and Eligibility • PIP will be made up of two components – daily living and mobility • Each can be paid at standard rate, or enhanced rate for those with the greatest needs • The PIP assessment criteria will consider the individuals’ ability to carry out a range of everyday activities • Individuals will receive a point score for each activity, depending on how well they can carry them out and the help they need to do them • Each activity carries a possible eight to fifteen points for those with the most restricted abilities • The total scores for each component suggest whether a component is payable, and if so, whether at the standard or enhanced rate

9. Assessment Criteria Daily Living Components (activities 1-9) Mobility Components (activities 10-11) Standard rate = 8 points Enhanced rate = 12 points Standard rate = 8 points Enhanced rate = 12 points • Activity • Preparing food and drink • Taking nutrition • Managing therapy and monitoring a health condition • Bathing and grooming • Managing toilet needs or incontinence • Dressing or undressing • Communicating • Engaging socially • Making financial decisions Standard 0 - 8 0 -10 0 – 8 0 – 8 0 – 8 0 – 12 0 – 12 0 – 8 0 - 6 • Activity • Planning and following a journey • Moving around Standard 0 – 15 0 - 15 Please note that these draft criteria are subject to change following consultation – the final draft will be published this Autumn

10. There are five key stages to claiming PIP 1 Thinking about claiming • Information about PIP available through different sources – leaflets, online, our Helpline and from support organisations • These will explain eligibility criteria and help the claimant decide if they want to claim • We’re writing to all existing DLA claimants in their March uprating letter to provide some general information about PIP • Existing DLA claimants will be contacted individually at the appropriate time to ask if they want to claim PIP

11. There are five key stages to claiming PIP 2 Making a claim • Claimants (or those supporting them) call DWP on a new claim number • We’ll check their identity and ask some basic questions • A personalised ‘Telling your story’ form will then be posted to the claimant • Paper claims won’t normally be used, and online claims will be available from Spring 2014 • Additional support like alternative formats or home visits will be available if needed

12. There are five key stages to claiming PIP 3 Telling your story • Claimant (or someone supporting them) completes the form • They explain, in their own words, how their condition affects them and their daily life • It asks about a range of activities and on both ‘good and bad’ days • Supporting evidence can be sent back with this form • The bar-coded personalised form is returned in a freepost envelope

13. There are five key stages to claiming PIP 4 Assessment • The claim details, the ‘telling your story’ form and any supporting evidence is passed to the health professional for review • Most people will be asked to have a face-to-face consultation with the health professional, providing the opportunity to explore their circumstances in detail • The health professional reviews the claim against the clear descriptors to assess the challenges faced by the individual • A report from the health professional is returned to DWP

14. There are five key stages to claiming PIP 5 Decision • DWP decision maker uses all the evidence to make a decision – the report from the health professional, information from the form and anything else which has been provided • They make a decision on entitlement to PIP, including the level and length of award • If PIP hasn’t been awarded or there has been a reduction, thenthe decision maker will usually try to phone the claimant to explain their decision • If an existing DLA claimant being reassessed isn’t found to be entitled to PIP then their DLA would stop

15. Other benefits • Many DLA claimants are receiving other benefits, such as ESA • Most DLA claimants receiving Incapacity Benefit will have already been reassessed for Employment and Support Allowance by the time they need to make a claim for PIP • Claimants receiving DLA or PIP won’t be migrated to Universal Credit until later in the UC rollout • Households where someone is in receipt of DLA/PIP are exempt from the new Benefit Cap • Intend to maintain existing passporting arrangements where possible, but still being agreed • receipt of the Daily Living component (at standard or enhanced rate) will passport the carer to receive Carers Allowance. Under DLA, this requires receipt of the middle or higher rates for personal care • Blue Badge scheme – Department of Transport are currently consulting as to future arrangements • Changes in entitlement may affect other benefits or support that the claimant or carer receives

16. More information • Information for support organisations and advisers is online at www.dwp.gov.uk/pip. The site includes a quick guide to PIP for advisers and frequently asked questions. • We’ll also include the latest news in the monthly Touchbase bulletin – sign up at the DWP website • Information aimed at claimants is available at direct.gov.uk/pip. Please signpost to these pages from your own sites or materials. • Updated leaflets will be available too – generic information in existing leaflets from the Autumn, and PIP specific leaflet from early next year. • Talk to your local DWP Partner Manager