Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) minister Sir Stephen Timms has sparked fury by stating that the £41 billion disability benefits bill is "not a great concern." His comments come after the Timms Review filed its interim report, which concluded that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is "not working."
Timms Review Findings
The interim report, published on Thursday, concluded that PIP was "not working" and committed to making bold and radical proposals to overhaul the benefit to ensure it continued to support disabled people "both now and into the future." DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms said the benefit was no longer working "as intended" but added that the current level of spending did not worry him.
Speaking to the BBC, Timms said: "My view is the current level of spending is not a great concern. What would be a concern would be if it carried on going up ever and forevermore. That we have to address, and we will be doing so." He added: "The terms of reference don't require us to make savings."
Political Backlash
Campaigners and think tanks broadly welcomed the report's diagnosis of long-standing problems with PIP. However, Conservative Party Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said Labour was refusing to face reality. Whately stated: "The problem is that the government is in denial about the seriousness of the situation with our welfare system and the fact that we have to make savings. We cannot keep on spending money at the rate we're spending it. The cost of working age benefits is due to go up… but the Timms review, which we've got the interim report out from today, is set to make no savings."
Review Recommendations
Review co-chair Sharon Brennan said the priority was ensuring "the right people" receive support rather than targeting a predetermined financial outcome. The interim review recommends a major overhaul of the assessment process after finding disabled people described it as "dehumanising," "demeaning," and a barrier to work.
