PIP customers’ experiences of the Award Review process
This report explores Personal Independence Payment (PIP) customers' awareness, expectations and experiences of Award Reviews.
Documents
Details
In 2025, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to conduct a mixed methods research study on customers’ experiences of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Award Review (AR) process. PIP award rates and their durations are set on an individual basis, based on the claimant’s needs and the likelihood of those needs changing. Regular reviews are a key feature of the benefit and ensure that payments accurately match the current needs of claimants.
This research was undertaken for the Health Transformation Programme (HTP), which is aiming to transform the whole PIP service, including ARs. The research is intended to inform this transformation by building a clearer picture of what the DWP can do to improve the design and delivery of the AR process. This research is not meant to inform changes to the broader PIP policy on ARs or the need for regular reviews of entitlement.
Contribution to the evidence base
This research provides quantitative and qualitative evidence on the views and experiences of PIP customers regarding the AR process and the communication received from DWP during that process. It highlights:
- how customers understand ARs and what they expect from them
- how different stages of the AR process are experienced
- opportunities to improve how ARs are delivered and communicated to customers
Research value
The department is using the evidence provided by this research to inform the design, development and delivery of the transformed AR process as part of the HTP.