The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed the 12 medical conditions most likely to receive the maximum Personal Independence Payment (PIP) award length, as the Labour government considers welfare cuts to fund its policy blitz. Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Pat McFadden are reviewing the incapacity and disability benefit through the ongoing Timms Review.
Conditions with Highest Long-Term PIP Claims
Latest DWP data reveals the top 12 conditions with the highest proportion of claimants receiving PIP for five years or longer. Combined, there are 1,804,025 such claimants out of 3,926,015 total claimants for these conditions. The list includes:
- Visual disease: 40,809 out of 60,360 (68%)
- Neurological disease: 273,628 out of 494,817 (55%)
- Hearing disorders: 22,317 out of 41,155 (54%)
- Musculoskeletal disease (general): 398,534 out of 740,225 (54%)
- Respiratory disease: 71,941 out of 141,072 (51%)
- Musculoskeletal disease (regional): 220,169 out of 469,641 (47%)
- Skin disease: 11,936 out of 26,676 (45%)
- Endocrine disease: 22,297 out of 51,089 (44%)
- Cardiovascular disease: 42,925 out of 102,889 (42%)
- Psychiatric disorders: 617,281 out of 1,523,811 (41%)
- Gastrointestinal disease: 13,121 out of 38,987 (34%)
- Malignant disease: 32,044 out of 127,423 (25%)
Burnham's Approach to Welfare Reform
Outlining his strategy, Burnham said: "It’s about changing the nature of the support and making some of the support conditional upon people taking opportunities that are presented in front of them. So you might increase the conditions required to receive benefits." He added that the government has given guarantees of opportunities for young people and that mental health support should be provided in work to support people. He also noted that many young people in the benefits system have been "quite seriously let down because the support wasn’t there for them when it should have been there."
Impact on PIP Claimants
PIP is a disability benefit for those with long-term physical or mental health conditions, disabilities, or learning difficulties. It helps with daily living tasks and maintaining independence. The PIP Handbook states that decisions are based on the impact of the condition on daily life and independent living. The Timms Review is expected to propose changes that may increase conditions required to receive benefits, potentially affecting the nearly 1.8 million long-term claimants.
