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<p /> <p /> <p>We are committed to ensuring personal independence payment (PIP) claimants
receive high quality, objective, fair and accurate assessments. Since the introduction
of PIP new claims in April 2013, we have been closely monitoring all aspects of the
process.</p><p>As personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, processes
are currently bedding in. Our latest analysis is telling us that the end-to-end claimant
journey is taking longer than expected. We are working closely with the assessment
providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance,
speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience. We are
also seeking to ensure that all the steps in the process run as smoothly as possible
and that there are no barriers in our processes and systems that contribute to claims
taking longer than necessary to progress.</p><p>Whilst there are no statutory (legal)
requirements to complete action on a claim to PIP within a specified time, we have
set both personal independence payment assessment providers a target for the length
of time to complete assessments of 30 working days.</p><p>Any delays experienced in
the new claims process will not affect the date from which claimants are paid; all
successful claims will be paid from the date the claim was initially made or the date
the qualifying period is met, whichever is the later.</p><p>As for the administration
of all benefits, a claimant is free to complain about the service they have received
from the Department for Work and Pensions. Complaints about the service received from
our assessment providers should be made direct to the relevant assessment provider.
A complaint may result in a special payment if the claimant has experienced unfair
treatment or suffered financially.</p><p>The Department has robust expectations for
provider performance and contracts include a full set of service level agreements
setting out expectations for service delivery, including quality of assessments and
the number of days to provide advice to the Department. Officials meet regularly with
both assessment providers to discuss performance. The contracts include a range of
remedies and failure to meet contractual obligations will result in the Department
applying service credits in line with the contract.</p>
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