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Disability benefit reviews suspended for three months
Disability benefit reviews and reassessments have been suspended for three months amid the coronavirus crisis.
The government said it has taken the temporary step to reassure vulnerable people about the continuity of their benefits during the outbreak, as well as focusing Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) resources on helping new claimants access the system.
There will be no new reviews or reassessments for Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit until June.
Face-to-face assessments for new claims for sickness and disability benefits have also been suspended for three months.
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Work and pensions secretary Thérèse Coffey: “As this country ramps up its efforts to support people through coronavirus, we will do whatever it takes to protect claimants and our staff.
“We are automatically extending all awards and reassessments for health and disability benefits to provide that reassurance to those in receipt of them.”
According to the 2018/19 English Housing Survey, more than half of social rented households include at least one person with a long-term illness or disability, compared with 27% in the private rented sector and 31% of owner-occupied households.
The DWP said the suspension will be kept under review and extended if necessary.
End dates for benefit awards due to expire will be extended so that people continue receiving benefits at its current rate.
People are still being encouraged to contact the DWP if they have a change in their needs to ensure they are receiving the right level of support.
Last week, ministers announced that requirements for welfare claimants to attend job centre appointments in person in order to keep receiving benefits would be scrapped for at least three months.
The DWP is asking people to use online services before calling for help with their benefit claims, as access to job centres is currently limited to only the most vulnerable claimants.
It has been experiencing a surge in new benefit claims in recent days as people lose jobs or pay because of the pandemic’s impact on the UK economy.
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