Delays in Disability Benefit Claims Leave Some Waiting Over a Year

Recent findings show that delays in processing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims have resulted in some individuals waiting over a year for decisions. The Public Accounts Committee reported these delays and highlighted concerns about the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) handling of claims.

In the 2024-25 period, just over half of new PIP applications were completed within the DWP’s target timeframe of 75 working days. However, the report stated that some claimants experienced waits exceeding 12 months, indicating ongoing issues with the system’s efficiency.

The Public Accounts Committee described the duration of some PIP claim waits as unacceptable and stated that such delays can contribute to financial hardship for those affected. The committee also stated that the DWP lacks a sufficient short-term plan to address these processing delays.

The DWP has begun testing an online application system in selected areas, which has reduced processing times by approximately 20 days according to the committee’s report. Despite this improvement, a previous goal to handle up to 20% of PIP claims through the new online process by 2026 has been postponed to 2029.

What the numbers show

• Just over 50% of new PIP claims met the 75 working day target in 2024-25
• ESA claimants waited an average of 26 minutes and 53 seconds for calls in 2023-24
• DWP overpaid £9.5 billion and underpaid £4.2 billion in benefits in 2023-24

Call waiting times for claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) were also highlighted in the report. In 2023-24, ESA claimants waited on average nearly 27 minutes for their calls to be answered, while Universal Credit claimants waited under three minutes on average.

The report also noted substantial errors in benefit payments during 2023-24. The DWP overpaid £9.5 billion in benefits, excluding State Pension, and underpaid claimants by £4.2 billion during the same period.

The committee’s findings indicate that while some steps have been taken to improve claim processing, such as the online application pilot, delays and errors remain persistent. The delay in expanding the online service further extends the timeline for potential improvements.

Industry reaction

The Public Accounts Committee stated that the current length of time some PIP claimants wait for processing is unacceptable and warned that these delays can push individuals into debt and poverty.

The committee also stated that the DWP does not have an adequate short-term plan to resolve the ongoing delays in PIP claim processing.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.