Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

The complainant has requested the information used in the decision-making process for a proposed change to the personal independence payment (PIP) scoring system. The Commissioner's decision is that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has failed to fully consider all of the information specified in the complainant's request and has not therefore complied with section 1(1)(a). The Commissioner requires DWP to issue a fresh response to the complainant that considers all of the information falling within the scope of the request and either disclose the information or, in respect of any information it wishes to withhold, issue a refusal notice within the meaning of section 17 of FOIA providing a basis for withholding the information. The public authority must take these steps within 30 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.