DWP issues PIP update to list of medical conditions that get up to £737 a month

The Department for Work and Pensions has updated the list of medical conditions that receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefits of up to £737 a month. The change for thousands of claimants amends the disability classifications.

The revision was included in guidance on the latest PIP statistics, which show that in the quarter ending April 2024 there was a record number of 250,000 applications, equivalent to more than 80,000 new claims every month. This is up 15 per cent on the same time last year.

The amendment comes as consultation continues on a Green Paper, published by the DWP under the Conservatives, to introduce radical reforms to PIP. This could include replacing cash payments with vouchers. The consultation on the plans ends on July 22 and Labour says it will study the measures and the feedback given by claimants and campaigners.

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The DWP said: "From June 2024, the disability classifications have been amended to reflect a change in the DWP Data Standard for PIP main disability condition categories and groupings. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been moved from 'Musculoskeletal disease (general) – Chronic pain syndromes' to 'Neurological disease – Other neurological disorders.'

"None of the other disability categories are affected. This change does not affect the underlying statistics in any way, other than the disability category and subgroup classifications."

The change has already flowed through into the latest set of statistics relating to the number of claims as of April 2024. It's important to note that there appears to be no indication of any impact on people's claims or reviews. However, some have questioned whether it could potentially mean different medical professionals are involved in carrying out assessments which could affect the approval or rejection of applications.

Statistics show 28,121 people claim PIP for chronic fatigue syndrome, with around 55 per cent of claims for this condition successfully awarded the benefit. It's now categorised among Neurological Disease which overall has 465,187 PIP recipients, the third highest medical grouping recorded on PIP awards, accounting for 13 per cent of all cases. The Neurological Disease category includes:

• Cerebrovascular disease: 83,293 PIP claimants

• Epilepsy: 65,515

• Non-epileptic disturbance of consciousness: 7,214

• Movement disorders: 29,160

• Multiple sclerosis: 58,268

• Benign tumours: 7,500

• Hydrocephalus: 2,543

• Headache: 8,062

• Head injury: 24,842

• Spinal cord compression: 14,975

• Degenerative neuronal diseases: 4,062

• Cerebral palsy: 41,035

• Spina bifida: 8,425

• Ataxia: 4,714

• Neuropathy: 27,629

• Peripheral nerve injury: 5,481

• Disease of muscle: 6,740

• Muscular dystrophy: 6,283

• Infections: 5,575

• Other neurological disorders: 53,870 - now includes chronic fatigue syndrome

Musculoskeletal Conditions (General) has 672,201 PIP recipients, the second highest medical grouping, accounting for 19 per cent of PIP claims. The top category is Psychiatric Disorders which has 1,347,889 claimants (38 per cent of claims).

The Musculoskeletal Conditions (General) category includes:

• Osteoarthritis: 269,520 PIP claimants

• Chronic pain syndromes: 165,980

• Inflammatory arthritis: 185,047

• Crystal deposition disorders: 2,426 (includes gout and pseudogout)

• Osteonecrosis and osteochondritis: 1,067

• Metabolic and endocrine disorders: 12,015

• Genetic disorders, dysplasias and malformations: 20,686

• Benign tumours of bone: 344

• Fracture complications: 2,299

• Other generalised musculoskeletal disease: 12,811

After chronic fatigue syndrome was moved, the chronic pain syndromes sub-group of conditions now only includes fibromyalgia (148,621 claimants) and other/unknown pain conditions (16,261).

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