Claimants who had a face-to-face personal independence payment (PIP) assessment last year were almost a quarter less likely to get an award than claimants who had a telephone or video assessment, figures released by the DWP have revealed.

The statistics were given in a written parliamentary answer by DWP disability minister Stephen Timms.

They show that over the last three years the gap between face-to-face assessments and telephone/video assessment success rates has been growing, rising from 11% in 2022 to 13% in 2024.  The full figures are:

  • 2022  Face-to-face: 42% Telephone, video: 53%
  • 2023  Face-to-face: 44% Telephone, video: 56%
  • 2024  Face-to-face: 44% Telephone, video: 57%

The difference in success rates does not appear to be explained by, for example, by the DWP inviting people who have less severe conditions face-to-face assessments, because allocation to assessment types appears to be largely random.

According to Timms, where claimants need a specific type of assessment, such as a telephone assessment because of difficulties with travelling, then they will be allocated that.

But all other claimants will get the next available appointment, regardless of whether that is face-to-face, telephone or video. 

Part of the difference in success rates may be the opportunity to for assessors to undermine claims with baseless “informal observations” at a face-to-face assessment, such as:

“Is tanned.  Suggests good health.

Overweight.  Suggests good appetite.

Smartly dressed.  Suggests good drive.”

In November 2024, the latest statistics we have for assessment types:

77% of assessments were remote, either telephone or video, but overwhelmingly these were telephone

18% were paper

4% were face-to-face

1% were unspecified

So the chances of having a face to face assessment have been small since the pandemic. 

However, Timms has also revealed that the proportion of face-to-face assessments is set to rise from Autumn of this year, so the risk will increase in the coming months.

As a method of reducing the number of successful claims and cutting the cost of PIP, switching to more face-to-face assessments appears to be an effective strategy.  It also requires no legislation whatsoever.

But claimants can ask to have  their assessment type changed, for example because travelling to an assessment centre for a face-to-face assessment would be painful or distressing.

The right to a review of the type of assessment you are allocated and the right to a further review are explained at pages 105-107 of our member’s Guide to PIP Claims and Reviews, along with sample written requests for a change of assessment type.

We have also updated the section of the guide headed “What kind of assessment will you have?”  at page 103, to inform readers about the different success rates for different types of assessment.

Members can download the current Guide to PIP Claims and Reviews here.

You can read the full parliamentary question and answer here.

 

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 16 days ago
    I'm really worried about the cuts. I've not moved over from ESA yet because I was told by someone helping with my money to wait for a letter. I don't know what I'll do if I lose my PIP and ESA. I don't know if I'd be classed as a new claim when I get moved over. I've been told as well that you don't get money for five weeks when you move and I'm already going to lose money. It's all really confusing for me. I need my ESA and PIP to live and can't work. I'm registered blind, have cerebral palsy in my legs and hands, a learning disability, spasms which are brought on more when I get stressed, migraines when trying to work on computers and I'm waiting for an autism assessment. I used to work in office work but because the computer screen flickers, and is to bright, my eyes have been straining to see the screen and since 2018 I can't use computers at all. I tried putting different colours on the screen to block out the light but then it's to dark for me to see. I can walk with my cerebral palsy but I walk on my toes and struggle to grip things with my hands and can't lift heavy things. I do fall quite a bit too, and some days are worse than others. I'm worried they will say I can go back into admin even though I've been out of work for fifteen years and can't use a computer now. If they say I can work or cut my money I don't know how I'll be able to live. Things do get really confusing and I do struggle to understand some things so I need things to be told to me again in a simple way. Sorry for going on about things. I just don't know how I'll cope if I have no money
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      · 16 days ago
      @J This is the last (third) paragraph. It got chopped off my other post.

      However it is possible to cancel the migration to universal credit and stay on your current benefits. In a nutshell, you have to contact the DWP to discuss your situation 
      and ask for the migration to be cancelled. You will have to provide a letter from your doctor as evidence saying how migrating will affect your health. The DWP may or may not cancel the migration. They only give you extra help and time, but it's worth trying to get the migration cancelled. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 16 days ago
      @J I can give you some advice about the migration to universal credit. Definitely wait for your migration letter. You have 3 months to claim starting from the date on the letter. If your current benefits are more than universal credit, you will get transitional protection. In other words, you will get no less money on universal credit than you do on ESA and PIP. But you WILL NOT get transitional protection if you migrate before you receive the migration letter. 

      You do not have to go 5 weeks without money. You can get a loan but it will have to be paid back from your benefits. The loan is optional.  Also if you get your timings right, you can be without income for 3 weeks, not 5. 

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 days ago
    So if the new points system come into affect as we are hearing min 4 pts then another 4 from anywhere to qualify for pip when are the new rules starting as they will surely have to get them passed and how long will that take. Will it affect the people that have 10 yr light touch.Or will it only affect new claims 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 days ago
    What about those of us on an indefinite fit note? Will we be left Alone or are we screwed too? Because I heard the changes happen when your claim is reviewed? An indefinite note has a review period set 100years after the claim was started as I understand 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 days ago
    So, the horror show that is Liz Kendall is to make a statement tomorrow. 
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      · 17 days ago
      @Stoko I think she’s answering some questions this afternoon, look out for that too
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 days ago
    There is a very good short video from Prof Richard Murphy of the University of Sheffield (which I attended) on YouTube, titled Jobs are Disappearing. It shows how ruthless (and stupid) Starmer and Co are. Do watch it. It's going to be very bleak for everyone (disabled or not) who is under 40. Good luck to all...
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 days ago
    Since when is LCWRA getting slashed by 50%
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    · 18 days ago
    As they read the room on various aspects of their plan for welfare reform, what is quite clear is that Labour will only push through what they think they can get away with without an almighty backlash from within their own party to begin with and then from the wider public. Means-testing PIP isn’t even part of the discussion now. A real-terms cut in PIP is about to be ditched from the agenda.

    What is also quite clear is that Labour are haemorrhaging support across the board. That is what will worry them more than anything else. I didn’t vote for them and I won’t in the future either. I’d guess there’s a large cohort thinking the same thing. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    So, for the people who keep saying that only the PIP freeze will require a vote: is that why politicians such as George Osbourne and Iain Duncan Smith have come out and said that them attempting to make changes/cuts to PIP back in 2016 was blocked by a whole load of legislation and the failure of being able to pass these changes actually led to the latter resigning? 

    I'm just saying: as despicable as they are, I think these men know how the political system works a lot better than some of you. There's arguing that we shouldn't give people "false hope" and then posting blatant misinformation. The situation is bad enough as it is without us doing that. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Anon I'd personally love for the people who are downvoting you to explain why you're wrong exactly? Or just for someone to provide an actual source as to where they're getting their information from regarding their claims that these policies implemented straight away. Because I'm failing to find any. 

      There also seems to be a lot of bureaucracy going on with these decisions that do not line up with things not requiring a vote like people claim. Why publish a Green Paper and waste 12 weeks if things can be passed almost immediately like it was with the WFA? Why delay the Green Paper by a week if you don't need the votes of the MPs you're trying to pacify? Lot of things not lining up here.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    What happens if I’m retired from work on ill health, granted Pip enhanced & LWRCA last year, when my review comes up next year? I will be 65 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @M.Morby When you hit pension age I think LCWRA stops coz it's UC related but presumably pension or pension credit should take its place... hopefully 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @M.Morby You should be ok
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    So, the mildest of PIP proposal - the freeze will be dropped. The eligibility criteria change is to still go ahead. Scrapping UC LCWRA is also still going ahead.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Neil Cook Yes, seems the Treasury has settled for cutting the money. Originally the Treasury wanted the LCWRA scrapped.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Rik I thought LCWRA was getting reduced not scrapped.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    we’ve had Streeting on TV earlier today saying there was a “overdiagnosis of mental illness”.

    What the hell? Try getting any mental health care on the NHS. I have MH issues on top of my physical issues, and I haven’t been able to see anyone on the NHS since 2006! And to get the diagnosis I have, I had to fight for years. I imagine it’s far harder to be diagnosed with anything on the NHS as its outpatient mental health care doesn’t exist any more.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago

    Well it looks like there is now a 'one million club' with additional supporters who will never vote Labour again!




  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    So people say in these posts/comments, "I'm really scared/terrified, can't sleep". Some have said on the Scope forum they are self harming because  of all of this.   That is mental ill health and it can kill as said before. Someone posts saying lets be careful what we say and this will all take a long time to go through. They can't just take away existing claimants lcwra and it will take a long time to push through whatever they do want to do. Still, people in the comments insist on saying "Oh but they can."

    That people  are frightened/vulnerable on here is serious. It is not about giving false hope it is about not scaring people when we don't know what will happen. Reminding people all this will take a long time. It is really annoying when you get the "worst case scenario" comments contradict the positive and then say "can't censor comments."  No but on a forum like this, we can think about the most vulnerable, who lay awake all night worrying and not scare them to death without assuring them the length of time any changes will make. The Peston show talked about cuts to LCWRA. Yes there might be some cuts but they won't just take it away completely and The Peston Show is usually pretty accurate.

    Just stop with the scaremongering.  As someone who has had a lot of mental health issues, I know how horrible it is and "tough" comments are as bad as the Labour leadership who don't care about people's mental health enough in doing all this anyway.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Scorpion Agree. I think any changes will only take months, in other words less than a year. I'll be called a scaremonger for saying that but I'm trying to be honest and realistic like you. Those saying it will take years, although I'm not saying they are definitely wrong as I haven't a crystal ball, I do think however they are probably wearing rose tinted glasses. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @axab43 Consultations are only for 12 weeks. I've said the changes could take faster than many can imagine, because a few people have been saying that such changes could easily take years, which is not true.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @slb I keep saying they can, because they LEGALLY can, without any HIC vote. I didn't say they will, I said they CAN.

      This is a fact, what do you not understand,
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @SpaceKnight Just want to say a couple of points that get lost in talk of money and slashing….
      1. The mps are taking n above inflation rise of 5.5% this year.
      2. The obr has said that only 2 to 3% of those affected by cuts to UC would actually be able to get jobs….
      3. The jobs being lost due to the last budget mean thatcis even less likely
      4. Who is going to vote labour next time? They have dumped on all their key voters. Do they not realise that most of the population are on some sort of benefit, or know someone who is.
      5. Everyone should have a home and food and warmth, as a starting point.  Before work.  
      6. We have had ENOUGH and ‘my way or the highway’ starmer is really the final straw.  After all these years, watxhing friends and relatives suffer and die from government pokicies….we were promised CHANGE.  WE WILL NOT TAKE THIS LYING DOWN. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Scorpion The changes to eligibility, which are some of the worst proposals, do need consultation in Government so they can not implement that faster than anyone can imagine.  This was according to the Guardian newspaper and  slb above. Plus I have heard other people say it.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    What happens to those of us who are on indefinite fit notes? Will they get automatically ignored?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Neil Cook Sorry Neil, not sure about this…it’s been such a long time that all this uncertainty and confusion has been affecting our lives. So little known still, and so many questions unanswered. 
      Hang in there!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 18 days ago
      @Neil Cook Does anyone have any idea about this?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    Why do they only seem to target the most vulnerable benefits claimants? Nearly 96 percent of the country is on benefits like child benefits and working tax credits. MPs are also on benefits; they take and take and claim unlimited expenses from the taxpayers.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    So just on sky news at 19om Liz Kendall is now softening disabled reform after backlash from her own party mps and obr rating it won’t save much money government should learn that disabled have feelings has well has able bodied people. We need to stick altogether on just fighting our human rights thanks for reading my post and my other posts giving me a lot of thumbs ups stay safe all of us 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @MJ Yes, this is all the Treasury. They are the ones doing this, and coming up with the ideas such as scrapping the LCWRA group - which looks like they've settled for it being cut instead.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 18 days ago
      @Diceman24 It isn't Kendall or the DWP that we have to worry about so much. From what I've read and it clearly seems to be the case, this is being pushed by the treasury and the PM, Reeves and Starmer. Hopefully Kendall will have some influence but the two above seem determined not to backtrack. Let's hope they do.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 18 days ago
    The Guardian are now (along with Politico) reporting that the govt are contemplating a U-turn with regards to freezing PIp in 2026/7.  Also, it sayd the following:

    "Any plan to freeze Pip or change ­eligibility rules would require ­primary legislation, running the risk that they could become the focus of a sizeable Labour rebellion in the House of Commons and also the Lords."

    If that is the case, then it's going to be a while before eligibility changes come into force:  Green paper, followed by consultation, followed by examination of replies, followed by preparation of White Paper, followed by debate and vote in Commons - then the Lords - and then the Commons again, and then getting the entire thing ready for use.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Neil Cook 300?? Mine cost aroumd 450 fitted

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      · 18 days ago
      @SLB I hope they get SHAFTED, my batteries for my mobility scooter in local ableworld store will cost £300 fitted because they are far too heavy for me to do. If I can't get them then I will be in effect stranded in my flat so I hope the UC/LCWRA reduction is as little as possible.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 19 days ago
    This manner in which Labour is dealing with Welfare Reform reminds me of The character of Boxer in Animal Farm, the hardworking and loyal horse, is perhaps the most tragic figure in the novel. Boxer represents the working class—dedicated, laborious, and self-sacrificing—but ultimately betrayed by the very system he helped to build. Despite his immense contribution to the farm’s success, Boxer is sold to the knacker when he is no longer able to work, symbolizing the way capitalist societies often exploit the labor of the working class until they are no longer useful. This message resonates in today’s world, where economic inequality remains a pervasive issue.

    Many people in recipt of benefits have been in work and work is the very reason they can no longer work 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 days ago
      @Orwell So how does this government fit into  that please? Very interesting…
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 18 days ago
      @Orwell Animal Farm is about communism, not right wing at all.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 18 days ago
      @Not so Great Britain Animal Farm is not a critique of capitalism, anything but. It’s a critique of hyper left wing authoritarianism….the animals and the pigs in particular represent the horrors of Stalin, Trotsky, Lenin, Marx and the Russian Revolution. They were anti-capitalists. 

      Boxer does represent the working class and is indeed a tragic character but his demise represents the ideological flaws of radical left wing authoritarianism and how it kills those it postulates to protect. 
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