PIP eligibility rules unchanged pending Timms review

Reforms to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) that formed part of the 2025 Welfare Reform Bill have been temporarily removed until a review can take place, according to guidance published on 3 July 2025¹. The same guidance states that eligibility rules will remain unchanged until that review is completed¹.

PIP is a benefit paid to people who are 16 to 66 years old and has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA)¹. It is a non-means-tested benefit, meaning a claim is not affected by income, capital or savings, and it can be claimed on top of other benefits including Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit¹. It can also be paid whether a person is in or out of work, and because it is a non-contributory benefit, there is no National Insurance contribution requirement to claim¹. PIP may, however, affect Constant Attendance Allowance or the war pensioners' mobility supplement¹.

The benefit is made up of two components, a daily living component and a mobility component, and a claimant may qualify for one or both¹. Each component is paid into a bank, building society or post office account every four weeks at either a standard or an enhanced rate¹. The Department for Work and Pensions uses a points system at an assessment to decide which components a claimant is eligible for and at what rate¹. Conditions that may be relevant include speaking to other people, shopping and paying bills, planning and following journeys, preparing food and eating, and washing and bathing¹.

On the review, the guidance states:

The same page notes that the review will not be published until the end of 2026 and does not guarantee that its recommendations will be passed¹. It also states that PIP is currently being reviewed by Sir Steven Timms, which aims to report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in autumn 2026¹.

Why it matters for households

For people already receiving PIP, or considering a claim, the practical position set out in the guidance is that the eligibility rules in force now continue to apply while the review is under way¹. The reforms that had been part of the 2025 Welfare Reform Bill are not in effect, having been temporarily removed¹. That means the assessment process, the two components and the standard and enhanced rates described on the page remain the basis on which claims are decided for the time being¹.

The guidance does not set out any change to payment frequency or to how PIP interacts with other benefits. It continues to state that PIP is non-means-tested, can be claimed alongside Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit, and can be paid in or out of work¹. It also continues to note that PIP may affect Constant Attendance Allowance or the war pensioners' mobility supplement¹.

Anyone whose circumstances are affected by the review timeline should note that the guidance gives no date earlier than the end of 2026 for publication, and states that the review's recommendations are not guaranteed to be passed¹. No further detail on what the review will recommend has been reported in the guidance.

What happens next

The Timms review aims to report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in autumn 2026¹. The guidance states the review will not be published until the end of 2026¹. Eligibility rules remain unchanged until the review is completed¹. Further information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP): claiming and the assessment and on benefits is available.