AQW 44548/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 22/04/2026
Answered On Date: 08/05/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any arrangements in place to support deafblind people to apply for, attend, and participate in interviews, as part of the Personal Independence Payment process.

Answer:

The Department is committed to ensuring accessibility for all customers throughout the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application and assessment process.

Help available at the application stage for deafblind people includes:

the application of reasonable adjustments throughout the PIP process;

use of alternative application formats such as Braille, Video Relay Service and textphone;

where a customer is unable to manage their benefit claim because of their disability, an appointee can be approved to act on their behalf; and

the Make the Call Service can conduct face-to-face home visits to assist with application completion and signposting those with dual sensory loss to specialist partner organisations such as DeafBlind UK.

In addition, help available at the assessment stage includes:

Training and guidance for all Health Professionals on sensory loss and agreeing preferred communication methods directly with the claimant;

Review of cases to ensure early identification of communication needs and sensory impairments;

Appropriate assessment routing to facilitate the use of sign language interpreters or other qualified communication support as appropriate for assessments;

The facility to be accompanied by a companion; and

Use of paper-based assessments where there is severe sensory impairment and sufficient supporting evidence exists.