Social Security Benefits: Disability and Mental Illness
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether staff in his Department have access to information about claimants' known (a) disabilities and (b) mental health conditions when the claimant contacts his Department by phone.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
Claimants who make an application for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or whose entitlement is being reviewed, are required to provide all relevant evidence relating to their health condition—whether that be a physical disability, mental health condition, or both. This evidence is essential for determining their entitlement to benefit.
All decisions made regarding a claimant’s entitlement are recorded on the PIP Computer System (PIPCS). Staff deployed to our telephone lines, who handle customer calls, have access to PIPCS. They are able to:
- View the claimant’s health conditions to support the customer appropriately during the call.
- Update the system with any changes to the customer’s circumstances.
This ensures that customer interactions are informed, accurate, and that any updates are promptly reflected in the system.
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