Research and analysis

PIP administrative exercise: progress on cases cleared, at 5 January 2020

Published 11 February 2020

The latest release of this management information can be found in the collection of PIP administrative exercise: progress on cases cleared.

Policy background and introduction

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) was introduced in April 2013. PIP replaces Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for claimants of working age. PIP is a payment that is based on the needs of a claimant.

This publication is concerned with 2 Upper Tribunal decisions, known as MH and RJ, which have led to changes to the way PIP is assessed.

Decision MH

From 28 November 2016 there was a change to the way the Department for Work and Pensions (’the department’) considers how overwhelming psychological distress affects a claimant’s ability to plan and follow a journey. This decision is known as MH.

Decision RJ

From 9 March 2017 there was a change to the way the department considers if a claimant can complete a PIP activity safely and if supervision is required, by considering both the likelihood of harm occurring, and the severity and nature of the harm that might occur. This decision is known as RJ.

Administrative exercise

Since June 2018, the department has been carrying out an administrative exercise looking at claimants who were entitled to PIP on the date of the Upper Tribunal decisions to review whether these changes mean they are eligible for more support under PIP. The department is also looking at claimants who were awarded PIP on or after the dates of the Upper Tribunal decisions, up until the department implemented the decisions into its decision-making processes.

At the beginning of the administrative exercise the department had a dedicated resource for cases where the claimant was deceased to ensure their next of kin received payments as quickly as possible. Since then, regular checks are carried out for deceased claimants and these cases are prioritised for review.

Results of the reviews carried out as part of the administrative exercise are continually monitored. This means those claimants most likely to benefit can now be better identified. This has allowed the exercise now to be focused on these claimants and ensure they receive payments as quickly as possible.

Purpose of publication

This publication presents DWP management information on progress on clearing potentially affected cases as at 5 January 2020.

It follows the initial release of information published on 20 December 2018 (with data at 23 November 2018), and updated release of information published on 4 July 2019 (with data at 14 June 2019).

Methodology update

Since the last release of information, 2 changes have been made that affect the figures provided.

The first change was to the computer system through which the administrative exercise is undertaken. The change occurred with effect from 4 November 2019. This has affected the manner in which information on the exercise is reported.

Previously, figures on cases cleared were reported for the exercise as a whole. Figures on cases cleared are now reported for each Upper Tribunal decision separately.

The exercise is considering both Upper Tribunal decisions at the same time given the large overlap between the groups of claimants potentially affected by the decisions. However, these groups are not identical. As such, figures in this release on cases cleared cannot be directly compared with earlier releases as not every case is being reviewed for both decisions.

The second change was to the process used in the administrative exercise. The change also occurred with effect from 4 November 2019.

From that point, the department has been focusing reviews on those cases most likely to benefit.

All other cases in scope of this exercise will be contacted by the department in writing, giving them the opportunity to request a review.

Progress on cases cleared

DWP management information at 5 January 2020 shows that since June 2018:

• around 720,000 cases have been cleared against the MH decision
• around 820,000 cases have been cleared against the RJ decision

Note that most, but not all, cases are cleared against both decisions.

DWP management information at 5 January 2020 shows that since June 2018:

• around 5,900 arrears payments have been made; of which:
  • around 3,400 arrears payments have been made from the application of the MH decision alone
  • around 2,500 arrears payments have been made from the application of the RJ decision alone
  • less than 100 arrears payments have been made from the application of both decisions simultaneously

DWP management information at 5 January 2020 shows that since June 2018:

• the total amount of arrears payments the department has paid out is around £28 million; of this:
  • £17 million has been paid from the application of the MH decision alone
  • £11 million has been paid from the application of the RJ decision alone
  • less than £1 million has been paid from the application of both decisions

As mentioned, figures in this release on cases cleared cannot be directly compared with earlier releases. To aid interpretation, the next section includes figures for cases cleared against each decision up to the same date as the previous release.

The number of cases cleared against each decision differs as not every case is to be reviewed under both decisions. A claimant who is already entitled to the maximum rate of PIP for the component that the decision impacts will not be reviewed against that decision.

RJ can affect a claimant’s assessment in any PIP activity; cases that already receive both the enhanced daily living and enhanced mobility rate are excluded from review under RJ.

The MH decision can only affect a claimant’s assessment in the first PIP mobility activity; cases that already receive the enhanced mobility rate are excluded from review under MH.

Equivalent figures to the previous release

DWP management information at 14 June 2019 shows that since June 2018:

• around 340,000 cases have been cleared against the MH decision
• around 420,000 cases have been cleared against the RJ decision

Note that most, but not all, cases are cleared against both decisions.

The previous release of information states that DWP management information at 14 June 2019 showed around 440,000 cases had been cleared.

Notes about the data

The data used is management information. The figures are changing rapidly as cases continue to be reviewed.

The number of cases reviewed is rounded to the nearest 10,000, the number of arrears payments made are rounded to the nearest 100, and the total amount paid is rounded to the nearest £1 million.

Source: DWP management information from the PIP administrative exercise at 5 January 2020 and 14 June 2019.

Statement of compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics

The Code of Practice for Statistics (the Code) is built around 3 main concepts, or pillars:

• trustworthiness
• quality
• value

The following explains how we have applied the pillars of the Code in a proportionate way.

Trustworthiness – is about having confidence in the people and organisations that publish statistics

Progress on the PIP administration exercise is based on DWP management information supplied through 2 sources:

1. a data capture tool built to allow consistent and efficient recording of case review progress in the PIP administration exercise
2. the department’s computer system used to administer the benefit

With additional administrative exercises being introduced, existing processes for managing cases and reporting information were no longer fit for purpose. As such, these processes were changed with effect from 4 November 2019. This allows, in particular, reporting against each decision separately.

There are legitimate concerns with changes to reporting part-way through a process. In this case, it was felt that 2 benefits outweighed these concerns:

1. the improved efficiency in administrating the exercise from the underlying system change
2. the improved transparency in allowing reporting of progress by Tribunal decisions separately, both for these and any future administrative exercises implementing Tribunal decisions

Quality – is about using data and methods that produce assured statistics

The data presented on progress is partially taken from the data capture tool developed to accurately record progress and levels of arrears payments. Drop-down menus and validation checks assist in reliable data recording. Data recording checks are carried out by operational staff. DWP analysts have challenged some figures to ensure accurate representations of the activity undertaken and checked some figures against the PIP administrative computer system.

The data presented on progress is also partially taken from the computer system used to administer the benefit. As well as assurance on design of business rules used for producing figures, value outputs have been sense-checked against other outputs for comparable periods.

As figures are derived from a mixture of automated and manually collated administrative data numbers are provided as management information and not official statistics.

Value – is about publishing statistics that support society’s needs for information

This release provides a progress update on the PIP administrative exercise, together with context for those figures. In addition, it aims to reduce the administrative burden of answering Parliamentary questions, Freedom of Information requests and ad hoc queries to ensure timely responses to public queries.

To support financial planning and management of departmental business, figures have been seen in advance by ministers and officials. This is in line with the Code, where pre-release access does not apply for releases based on routine management information – as covered in para 3.6 of the National Statistician’s guidance, February 2018.

Future releases

The department intends to release future updates on progress:

• in June 2020
• after the conclusion of the exercise

Where to find out more

You can find out more in the following publications:

• changes to PIP law from 28 November 2016 and 9 March 2017

• written statements tabled on 19 January 2018, 25 June 2018 and 20 December 2018

• DWP benefit expenditure tables

• initial release of this information published on 20 December 2018 (with data at 23 November 2018)

• updated release of information published on 4 July 2019 (with data at 14 June 2019)

Contact information

The department will be contacting individuals affected as appropriate.

For press enquiries, contact DWP Press Office on: 0203 267 5144