Andy Burnham is reportedly set to change the threshold for some Personal Independence Payment (PIP) conditions in a major welfare overhaul, affecting two groups of claimants: those with milder illnesses and those with milder disabilities.
Timms Review and Welfare Changes
The new Labour Prime Minister will receive the Timms Review's final report before the end of the year. He, along with Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) boss Pat McFadden and Chancellor John Healey, will then implement changes amid concerns over the rising benefits bill.
Lord Blunkett's Criticism
Lord Blunkett, a Labour peer, said giving people money rather than “the health provision they need” or helping them to get a job is “ridiculous.” He added that Burnham, who succeeded Sir Keir Starmer following the Makerfield byelection, wants Labour to be “the Labour Party, not the welfare party.” He stressed the need for “decisions on what the threshold is [for] particular forms of illness,” suggesting that mental health support or practical equipment could replace cash payments for some claimants.
How PIP Currently Works
PIP consists of two components: daily living and mobility. Each can be paid at a standard or enhanced rate. The DWP decision maker assesses whether a claimant's ability is limited or severely limited. Descriptors, such as for dressing and undressing, are scored from 0 to 12 points. Claimants must score a certain number of points to qualify.
Disability Campaigner's View
Sharon Brennan, co-chairing the PIP review alongside Timms and Dr Clenton Farquharson, told BBC's Today programme the current process is “very blunt” as it is a “yes or no” over whether a claimant gets cash. She said the group is examining whether “those buckets of cash really reflect the real-life support that people need in 2026.”
