Personal Independence Payment Review

The Department for Communities has appointed Mr Walter Rader to carry out the independent statutory review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment in Northern Ireland.

This review complies with the Welfare Reform (NI) Order 2015 which states that an independent review must be undertaken within two years from the date Personal Independence Payment came into operation. PIP was introduced in Northern Ireland in June 2016.

The review will provide the Department for Communities with an independent report evaluating: 

• The operation of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment since its introduction including issues that the Department has been made aware of since implementation;
• PIP customers’ experience of taking part in the assessment;
• Perceptions of health care professionals and other staff involved in carrying out the assessment; and
• How effectively further evidence is being used to assist the correct claim decision, exploring the balance between how much, and the type of, evidence sourced and what the customer is asked to provide.

The review will provide valuable independent insight into how the assessment process is currently operating and will report by June 2018.

Further information including a Call for Evidence will be issued in due course.

Notes to editors: 

1. Mr Walter Rader is Discretionary Support Commissioner for Northern Ireland and previously served as Deputy Chief Charity Commissioner for Northern Ireland. As a volunteer he is the Northern Ireland representative for the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, and an independent member of Volunteer Now, Governance and Nominations Committee
2. Mr Rader has had a long and successful career working with communities across Northern Ireland and Great Britain including extensive experience of assessment and evaluation. He was previously a lay member of the House of Commons, Committee on Standards (2012-2017) and Independent Chair for the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister EY2012 small grants programme
3. Paul Gray has already completed two independent reviews of PIP on behalf of DWP in Great Britain
4. Media enquiries to DfC Press Office on 028 9082 3502 or email: press.office@communities-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974383.

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