DWP rolls out major overhaul to PIP and Universal Credit assessments

All disability and sickness benefit assessments will now be automatically audio recorded unless claimants opt out

All disability and sickness benefit assessments will now be automatically audio recorded unless claimants opt out

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has introduced automatic audio recording for all disability and sickness benefit assessments as part of a major overhaul of the claims process.

The changes, which came into force this month, apply to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Work Capability Assessments for Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance, and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

Under the new system, all health assessments will be recorded automatically unless a claimant chooses to opt out.

Previously, claimants had to request that their assessment be recorded.

The DWP said fewer than three per cent of claimants chose to have their assessment recorded under the previous opt-in system, despite information about the option being included in invitation letters and on assessment providers' websites.

Claimants who do not wish their assessment to be recorded can still choose to opt out.

Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability, said: "Improving transparency and trust in the benefits system is one of this Government's key aims, which is why we're making this important change.

"Feedback from disabled people, the organisations that represent them and disability-focused research has found that some disabled people who claim health and disability benefits lack trust in the health assessment process."

Sir Stephen said routinely recording assessments would help improve their quality and provide a better experience for claimants.

The policy delivers a commitment made in the Government's Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March 2025, which pledged to make audio recording the standard across all health assessments.

Written assessment reports will continue to form the basis of benefit decisions.

However, audio recordings will provide an additional record of assessments where required and will be available to claimants who challenge benefit decisions.

Alongside the recording changes, the Government is increasing the number of face-to-face assessments.

For PIP, around six per cent of assessments, approximately 57,000, were conducted in person during 2024.

The Government plans to increase that figure to 30 per cent of all PIP assessments.

Work Capability Assessments will also see face-to-face appointments increase from 13 per cent to 30 per cent.

Labour has said contracts agreed under the previous Conservative Government required around 80 per cent of assessments to be carried out remotely.

Ministers argue that approach resulted in too many claims being approved without sufficient scrutiny.

The DWP is also recruiting nearly 500 additional staff to reduce the backlog in the Access to Work scheme.

The department is also extending the time between some PIP reassessments to allow healthcare professionals to focus on new claims.

The changes come as the number of people claiming disability benefits continues to rise.

Earlier this year, official figures showed that more than four million people in England and Wales were receiving PIP for the first time.

Sir Stephen recently published an interim report on PIP, warning that the "vital support" provided by the benefit could come under pressure if spending continues to increase.

PIP is designed to help people with the additional costs associated with long-term physical or mental health conditions.

The Government is expected to publish its final report on the future of PIP later this autumn.