The Timms Review is set to deliver its final recommendations to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey this autumn, potentially heralding significant changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). An interim report has already been submitted, with a comprehensive follow-up expected later in the year. The review aims to reshape the welfare system, particularly focusing on how disability benefits interact with employment support.
Expert Calls for Personalised Support
Jonny Phillips, managing director of the employment support organisation Strive, emphasised that the new government should view employment assistance as more than a basic job-search service. He stated, "We would like to see more support for programmes that help people move into sustained work, not just enrol onto training. Funding should reward providers who can show that learners are progressing into real jobs and staying there. The system needs to value the support that makes those outcomes possible, not only the outcome itself."
Phillips specifically addressed the treatment of PIP recipients, noting they are often overlooked. "One group that can be overlooked is people receiving disability or health-related benefits, including PIP. Receiving PIP should not be treated as proof that someone cannot work. At the same time, people should not be pushed into unsuitable roles. The right approach is personalised support, realistic job matching and employers who are willing to make reasonable adjustments."
Economic and Community Benefits
According to Phillips, reintegrating people into the workforce can have substantial positive impacts. "If the Government wants growth, it cannot only focus on high-level investment and productivity plans. It also needs to focus on the adults who are currently outside the workforce but could contribute with the right support. That is a major opportunity for the economy and for communities." He argued that grant funding should target those who need more than basic CV workshops, including long-term unemployed adults, people over 50, lone parents, individuals with low confidence, learning needs, limited digital skills, or health conditions and disabilities.
Political Context and Difficult Decisions
The review comes amid broader discussions about welfare reform. Labour peer Lord Blunkett indicated that Prime Minister Burnham is prepared to limit benefits for young people and attach work-related conditions to payments. Burnham previously told The i Paper that he aims to reduce the welfare bill by “rethinking the education system” and providing mental health and job support rather than making “crude cuts.” However, Lord Blunkett acknowledged the need for tough choices: “There’ll need to be very difficult decisions about entitlement. What is it you need, rather than do you need money?”
