<p>The Health Transformation Programme is transforming the entire Personal Independence Payment (PIP) service, from finding out about benefits through to decisions, eligibility, and payments. We are developing the new service carefully and incrementally, designing the service around the needs of claimants.</p><p> </p><p>We have begun by focussing on the initial application part of the process. Since Thursday 27 July, a limited number of claimants in selected postcode areas have been able to begin their claim for PIP entirely online, without needing to phone to make their claim.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As part of this new online option, an eligibility checker tool is built into the service. These pre-application eligibility questions are optional. They are intended to guide a user who may not be sure if PIP is right for them, and signpost them to other benefits as applicable. However, citizens in selected user groups and in areas where the service is operating can begin their online PIP claim without needing to use this tool. Information within these questions is already included on the GOV.UK PIP guidance pages. Everyone who completes the eligibility checker questions is signposted to claim online if they wish.</p><p> </p><p>There are no current plans to remove the optional eligibility questions from the online service, but we will keep this under review as we develop the service.</p>