Disability benefits not fit for purpose and need bold reform, says Pip review

Disability benefits are no longer fit for purpose and are failing to keep pace with how health and work have changed over the past decade, the Timms Review has found.

The review of the Personal Independence Payment (Pip), conducted by Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, published its interim report on Thursday, ahead of a full publication expected later this year.

Drawing on findings from more than 38,000 responses, alongside workshops and engagement with disabled people, their organisations and experts, it is one of the largest co-produced reviews delivered by the government.

The ongoing assessment of the Pip system is the first full review of its function since the introduction of the payments in 1993.

It follows a climbdown from Starmer’s government in June last year, when it U-turned on proposed cuts to disability benefits, in a bid to avoid a rebellion from Labour’s backbenches.

The Timms review is being conducted by Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability. / Credit: PA

Pip is intended to help with everyday tasks and extra living costs if someone has a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.

The latest official figures, released earlier this year, showed the number of people in England and Wales claiming the main disability benefit passed four million for the first time – roughly doubling since 2019.

The number of claimants classed as having autistic spectrum disorders has more than doubled in six years, according to Press Association analysis, as has the number with mixed anxiety and depressive disorders, while the number with ADHD has almost quadrupled in that time period.

The report has revealed that while Pip is widely valued as a cash benefit, it is not working as intended for disabled people or wider society.

While many disabled people say Pip is vital in helping them meet the extra costs of disability and participate in everyday life, others state Pip creates barriers to participating fully in work, social and community life. This is particularly true for people with fluctuating conditions, less visible conditions or multiple conditions.

Claimants of Pip, reported often finding the system to apply for the benefit “dehumanising”, “soul-destroying”, and “degrading”, with 90% of respondents viewing the process “negatively” according to the report.

It also found low levels of trust in the system and the need for it to be rebuilt, both for disabled people and those with long-term conditions, as well as for the taxpayer.

It noted that while Pip “enables many people to stay in work” through covering extra costs of disability, there is research that “demonstrates that some people on Pip are scared to participate, either in physical activities or employment, as this could be seen as evidence that their functional ability has improved”.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Sir Stephen Timms said the review was about ensuring the system was “fit and fair” for future generations, promising recommendations for reform when the full report is published in the Autumn.

“We want to make sure that Pip is fair and fit for the future,” said Stephen Timms

The Review launched last October to help support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment.

The final report, which will include recommendations for change, is due in autumn, and the Government has insisted the review will ensure Pip is “fit and fair for the future”.

The review team said their recommendations will be “bold in nature and bold in recognition of the wider environment in which disabled people in the UK are living”.

Around 10 million working-age people report living with a disability – equivalent to 24% of the working-age population, compared with under 17% in 2013/14. There have been greater increases in the prevalence of disability among young people and a rise in mental health conditions.

Sharon Brennan, co-chair of the Review, said: “Improving trust in the system – both from the public and those going through the system – is vital if Pip is to be fit and fair for the future.

“We are immensely grateful to the tens of thousands of people who have taken the time to share their lived experience and make a valuable contribution to this Review.

“We’ve heard loud and clear: Pip is highly valued as a benefit but is not fit for purpose. We are committed to making changes so that Pip can fulfil its purpose.”