UK Parliamentary Committee Reports Year-Long Delays for Disability Benefit Claims

The UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) released a report on 9 January 2026 highlighting extended waiting times for disability benefit claimants. The report focused on the processing of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims and the service provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP.

The committee stated that some individuals applying for PIP experienced waits exceeding twelve months before their claims were processed. The PAC also found that the level of service for disability benefit claimants did not meet acceptable standards according to its assessment.

In the 2024-25 period, the report noted that just over half of new PIP applications were completed within the department’s target of 75 working days. This outcome fell short of the DWP’s stated aim to process 75% of new claims within that timeframe.

The PAC report stated that prolonged delays in processing PIP claims can result in claimants facing financial hardship, including risks of debt and poverty. The committee’s findings were based on data and assessments from recent years.

What the numbers show

• In 2024-25, just over 50% of new PIP claims met the 75-day target
• ESA claimants waited an average of 26 minutes 53 seconds for calls to be answered in the year to March 2024
• Universal Credit claimants had an average call wait of 2 minutes 45 seconds in the same period
• Benefit overpayments (excluding state pension) reached £9.5 billion in the year to March 2024
• Benefit underpayments rose to £4.2 billion in the same period

The committee’s review also included information on customer service for other benefits. Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants experienced average call waiting times of nearly 27 minutes in the year to March 2024, while Universal Credit claimants waited under three minutes on average.

Financial figures in the report showed that, in the year to March 2024, benefit overpayments not including state pensions increased to £9.5 billion. During the same period, underpayments reached £4.2 billion.

The PAC’s findings indicated that the DWP’s performance in processing disability benefits and managing customer service did not align with its targets. The committee’s assessment was based on official data and departmental objectives.

The report concluded that disability benefit claimants are receiving a level of service from the DWP that the committee described as unacceptably poor. The findings were published as part of the committee’s ongoing oversight of public spending and service delivery.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.