More than a quarter in Test Valley refused PIP benefits

Children who live with incurable and life-threatening conditions receive a child Disability Living Allowance (DLA) until their 16th birthday, at which point, they have to apply for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

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While DLA is awarded on the basis of whether or not a child needs extra care from others, PIP assessments are based on whether the claimant can carry out day to day tasks themselves.

In the Test Valley, between April 2013 and October 2024, 740 claims were made for PIP from recipients of child DLA, with 521 of these allowed. A total of 28.9 per cent of claims were disallowed, with 214 people not receiving the PIP benefit.

Executive director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope James Taylor said: “It’s worrying that such a big number of young disabled people are losing out on financial support as they reach adulthood.

“Life costs a lot more when you’re disabled, and benefits like DLA and PIP are an absolute lifeline to help cover those extra costs.

“We know disabled households face hundreds of pounds in extra costs every month. The costs range from things such as equipment, extra support at home and getting out and about, to needing taxis because public transport isn’t suitable.

"Our benefits system is incredibly complex, adversarial and difficult to navigate, so we know the transition from DLA to PIP can be challenging and stressful.

“The new government needs to look into the real reasons behind these figures, and work with disabled people to fix our broken welfare system.”78.5 per cent of people were refused the benefit as they failed the assessment involved in applying for it (Image: PA)

Of those disallowed PIP, 78.5 per cent were refused the benefit as they failed the assessment involved in applying for it.

The assessment involves the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) looking at how difficult a claimant finds daily living and mobility tasks, using a series of questions to look at: whether a task can be done safely, how long it takes, how often the condition affects the activity and whether help is needed to do it.

Answers to the questions are judged using a points-based system and recipients can get between £28.70 a week and £184.30 a week.

In the UK as a whole during the same period, a total of 423,089 claims were made, with 123,920 disallowed.

A DWP spokesperson said: “We have been clear that the current welfare system needs reform.

“Building on our Get Britain Working White Paper, we will bring forward proposals for reforming the health and disability benefits system within weeks, so that it provides children, young adults and their families with the support they need in a way that’s fair on the taxpayer, and helps those who can work secure employment.”