The Department for Work and Pensions has issued an update this week over claimant letters
The Department for Work and Pensions has released an update over claimant letters for people with autism. Universal Credit and PIP correspondence can be complex and challenging to comprehend.
Such letters often presume a knowledge of the benefits system that many claimants simply do not possess, critics say. The askelie website states “work coaches and case managers in job centres see the consequences daily: missed appeal deadlines, appointments that are not understood, and mandatory reconsideration requests that arrive too late or address the wrong point entirely.”
Tribunal statistics reveal that PIP and Universal Credit combined represent the vast majority of appeals. Yet the Benefits and Work website indicates that 65% of claimants abandon their cases following mandatory reconsideration and therefore never get the opportunity to present their situation to an independent tribunal. Complicated language or lengthy, dense legalistic correspondence is routinely cited by campaigners as the reason people fail to challenge decisions about their benefits.
The National Autistic Society has previously outlined the issues at stake in evidence submitted to the Work and Pensions Committee when it stated “PIP can be a lifeline for many autistic people, through both the daily living and mobility components. It is vital that the process of applying, being assessed and challenging decisions understands the needs of autistic people, and meets them.”
The issue was thrust into the public eye this week after Labour MP Mohammad Yasin questioned the DWP as to “whether autistic people with lived experience are routinely involved in the design, drafting and user-testing of standard claimant letters and other written communications issued by the Department.”
In an official statement released on Monday, September 14, Lilian Greenwood – Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions) – responded by saying: “DWP works with a range of internal and external experts when designing, drafting and user-testing claimant letters and other written communications issued by the department. We have actively engaged with groups and organisations representing neuro-diverse customers such as People First and Mencap, to develop and create Easy Read products.
“Our written communications are also designed to be accessible for people who use assistive technology. These are compliant with Work Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 accessible standards. These communications are regularly tested to ensure they continue to meet user needs.”
The National Autistic Society’s criticisms of communication were voiced back in 2017, but many would echo their concerns today. The society said in its evidence at the time: “There is an ongoing lack of understanding within DWP and assessment providers about the communication needs of people with learning disabilities and autism and in particular a lack of information in Easy Read format.
“The bulk of issues that autistic people and their carers who contact us relate to the face-to-face assessment and we have gone into more detail on these issues in our answers to subsequent questions. Anecdotally, we hear from autistic people – including through our Welfare Rights Advice Service – who say that they find the application form difficult to complete and many are unaware that they can ask for longer to complete the form.”
PIP and autism and whether you could claim
According to Benefits and Work guidance on PIP and autism, in 2024 there were 198,000 PIP claimants with autism recorded as their primary disabling condition. This makes it the second most prevalent condition for which a PIP award is granted, out of more than 500 conditions listed by the DWP.
Therefore, if you have autism and it has an impact on your day-to-day activities, such as cooking, washing, dressing, socialising with others, or your ability to travel independently, you should seriously consider submitting a claim.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can assist with additional living costs if you have both: a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability and difficulty carrying out certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition. You can claim PIP regardless of whether you are working, have savings, or are already receiving most other benefits.
PIP is made up of two components: a daily living part – for those who require assistance with everyday tasks, and a mobility part – for those who need help getting around. The gov.uk website explains in its details about PIP that “whether you get one or both parts and how much you get depends on how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around.”
To ask the DWP for a mandatory reconsideration of a benefit decision, visit the gov.uk web page. The Citizens Advice also has a detailed web page on challenging benefit decisions.
DWP language when dealing with benefit claimants and the public
A DWP blog from 2021 highlights the difficulties the department says it faces regarding communication. It stated: “It’s easy to become so familiar with a process or service that our objectivity is compromised. People often use the language they’re most familiar with, without realising that these terms are unknown to the users of the service.
“But terms that make sense within an organisation, business or team may not to people outside that group. To create services that people can find, use and trust we must use language that’s meaningful, relatable and understandable.
“Government services help a diverse range of people with varying needs. Using unfamiliar terms that are ambiguous can mean the difference between giving the right or wrong information.”
