New research from Citizens Advice has found more than 430,000 people are currently waiting for a PIP review - with some waiting over two years - leaving them to cover extra costs.
The record number of people experiencing delays comes at a time when Disabled people are some of the worst affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
New research from Citizens Advice shows they are twice as likely to say they can rarely or never cover their essentials each month.
Additionally, just under two thirds (61%) of the people Citizens Advice helped with food bank referrals in the past six months were Disabled or had a long-term health condition.
Citizens Advice’s latest report found that, in the last six months, the number of people seeking support from the charity with issues related to PIP reviews increased by 19% compared to the same period last year. This is far higher than the overall increase in PIP applications.
The delivery of PIP is constrained by the number of health assessments that can be carried out. Between January and April 2023, 210,000 people made a new claim for PIP, but the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has failed to recruit and train up enough staff to keep up with demand.
Citizens Advice is warning that people are often left months, sometimes years, waiting for a PIP review. An uncertain situation which can cause significant stress and anxiety on top of significant financial implications.
Delays can also disrupt their access to other related benefits like the warm home discount.
While the DWP has taken steps to halve wait times for new PIP applications from six to three months, but hundreds of thousands are still being left to wait far too long for a review of their payments.
Citizens Advice is calling on the Government to:
- Build on existing efforts to make greater use of paper-based decisions and so bypass the need for time-consuming health assessments;
- Make sure all increased PIP payments are backdated, and take steps to prevent disruptions to other benefits linked to PIP entitlement.
Matthew Upton, Acting Executive Director of Policy & Advocacy at Citizens Advice, said:
“PIP can act as a lifeline for so many people with extra living costs linked to their health condition. But right now, hundreds of thousands are being left in limbo while they wait for a health assessment with little clarity as to when their claim will be reviewed.
He added: “At a time when rising prices are putting immense pressure on Disabled people’s budgets, we need a system that efficiently and effectively helps people with extra living costs - not one that causes more harm.”
For more information see Millions of pounds held up every month due to delays in PIP reviews and Playing Catch-Up: The impact of delayed health assessments for Personal Independence Payment from citizensadvice.org.uk.