Research and analysis

Additional Support Needs in the PIP Claim Journey: Executive Summary

Published 2 May 2025

Basis Social : Dan Clay, Erica Harrison, Dan LemmonÌý

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Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit which can help with extra living costs where someone has both:Ìý

• a long-term physical or mental health condition or disabilityÌý

• difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of their conditionÌý

DWP바카라 사이트¯commissioned Basis Social to conduct qualitative research with바카라 사이트¯PIP applicants with the aim to understand who needs additional support throughout the claim journey, how to identify those applicants, and what support they need and when.Ìý

Research contextÌýÌý

The Health and Disability White Paper and the Health Transformation Programme signal the Department바카라 사이트™s commitment to improving the customer journey for PIP claimants. One core aspect of this is improving the support provided to customers.Ìý

A recent research report, Barriers to Accessing Health Support, published in October 2024 ^{[footnote 1]} highlighted that the PIP application process itself can elicit negative experiences and cause challenges for some vulnerable customers and those with complex needs.ÌýÌý

The research presented here focused on improving the support provided during the PIP application process. It provides evidence on the multiple types of support PIP applicants may need and highlights opportunities for these needs to be addressed.Ìý

Key FindingsÌý

Common challengesÌý

• Applicants often start the PIP process with high levels of anxiety and stress due to financial circumstances and long-term health conditions.ÌýÌý

• Those with mental health or developmental conditions face greater challenges due to cognitive overload and anxiety.ÌýÌý

• Many applicants do not self-identify as 바카라 사이트˜disabled바카라 사이트™ and feel stigmatized by the process, which can be disempowering.Ìý

Types of support needsÌý

Four types of support needs were identified:Ìý

Informational Support: To help set and manage expectations, provided via 바카라 사이트, the PIP Helpline, or DWP ±ô±ð³Ù³Ù±ð°ù²õ.Ìý

Practical Support: To help manage the process, such as interpreting or writing responses on the PIP2 ´Ú´Ç°ù³¾.Ìý

Emotional Support: To help manage the emotional burden of the process, potentially signposted to other organizations.Ìý

Wider Support: To help manage broader circumstances like housing, finances, and relationships.

Support needs across the PIP claim journeyÌý

Four key stages to applying for PIP were identified as requiring different types of support:Ìý

• Registration (PIP1): Applicants felt anxious due to a lack of understanding of eligibility and the questions asked. More information about the questions they will be asked, as well as options for commencing applications via paper or digital forms may help reduce feelings of anxiety for some applicants.ÌýÌýÌý

• Providing health information (PIP2): Applicants felt this was the most challenging stage due to the lengthy written form and cognitive burden. Where available, applicants benefitted from practical support from a professional or family member or friend. In many cases applicants were not aware of and did not access support.Ìý

• Assessment: Applicants reported high stress levels at assessment stage, especially those with mental health conditions. Although most applicants did not report requiring support with the assessment itself, emotional or moral support was appreciated. Applicants valued being informed about what to expect.ÌýÌý

• Decision and review: Particularly where there was a single component award, a nil award or award review, applicants reported a need for more information to understand decisions. Applicants were unsure what options were available to them to challenge decisions and did not know what to expect from a Mandatory Reconsideration or Appeal process.

Identifying and addressing additional support needsÌý

Improving access to DWP-signposted information and practical support could help applicants navigate and manage the process better.Ìý Applicants are not always aware what support is available.ÌýÌý

Emotional support is crucial, particularly for applicants who were less confident in their own capabilities. The need for emotional support was most obvious during the assessment process. Access to support was highly variable.Ìý

Applicants could further benefit from support addressing wider needs like finances and housing. Although they would not anticipate DWP providing this, they would appreciate signposting.Ìý

There were mixed views on what support DWP should provide, with some applicants being sceptical or distrustful of DWP. Others expected DWP to ensure access to support.ÌýÌý

Applicants felt that support needs should be assessed for everyone registering a claim.Ìý

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Between February and April 2024, 52 in-depth interviews were conducted with PIP applicants. All interviewees were in the process of progressing a PIP claim, covering the full range of stages from initial application to appeal (including award reviews). In total, 30 participants had an Additional Support (AS) marker indicating they have serious mental health, or cognitive conditions and may have difficulty communicating or engaging with processes.Ìý An additional 17 follow-up interviews were conducted with applicants where they had moved on to a subsequent stage in the PIP process during March and April 2024.바카라 사이트¯바카라 사이트¯Ìý

Alongside interviews with applicants, 8 interviews were undertaken with advisers working in voluntary sector organisations which provide support to people with their benefits and welfare applications. These included disability-specific organisations and those involved in more general support services (e.g. legal advice centres). Interviews with advisers helped to identify the additional support needs of a larger cohort of PIP applicants, including those not represented in the achieved sample.

1. Barriers to Accessing Health Support for PIP, NS ESA, and UC Claimants - 바카라 사이트Ìý↩