The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has made two promises over the Timms Review to reassure claimants that any changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be based on real experiences. The DWP has vowed that whatever changes are administered will be "grounded in the reality and experiences" of disabled people and "grounded in the experiences" of people with long-term health conditions, too, when the report is submitted to the Labour Party government.
Workshops and promises to claimants
The DWP is set to conduct workshops in September, where it will test recommendations from the Timms Review and invite and garner feedback from select claimants. These workshops are part of the process to ensure that the final recommendations reflect the views of those directly affected by PIP.
The review is led by Sir Stephen Timms MP, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, with co-chairs Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farqhuarson CBE. They lead a steering group made up of disability experts and disabled people with experience of claiming PIP.
Timeline and next steps
The Timms Review is expected to share its recommendations for PIP with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by the end of 2026. The recommendations will be informed by what people share during the review. The government will then decide what changes should be made to PIP.
These promises come as part of a broader effort to reform the PIP system, which has been criticised for being stressful and exhausting for claimants.
Reactions from disability charities
Charlotte Gill, Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs at the MS Society, has previously spoken out over the review. She said: "Today’s interim report confirms what disabled people have been saying for many years - that the current PIP system is stressful and exhausting."
"We’ve been supporting people with MS to share their experiences as part of the Review, and they are clear in their call for a new approach based on fairness, dignity and respect. Over 150,000 people live with MS in the UK, with most diagnosed in their thirties and forties. This is our chance to build a PIP system that acknowledges invisible and fluctuating symptoms, ends unnecessary reassessments, and works for everyone."
"But the next steps are crucial - and must continue involving and listening to disabled people. That’s the only way to make PIP fair and fit for the future."
