The Timms Review into Personal Independence Payment (PIP) published its interim report in July 2026, concluding that PIP is no longer fit for purpose1. The review, which launched last October with the aim of making sure PIP is fair and fit for the future, is co-chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, with a steering group of 12 members1. Ahead of its final report, due in Autumn 2026, the steering group is developing emerging recommendations and is inviting disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to take part in 15 workshops, held online and in person across the UK during September and October 20261.
Registration for the workshops opens on Wednesday 12 August 2026 at 10am and closes on Friday 21 August 2026 at 5pm, with selected participants informed by 4 September 20261. Disabled people, people living with a long-term health condition, carers, family members of disabled people and support workers are all eligible to register their interest1. Selection will be done randomly, but the steering group will review the people chosen to ensure they represent a balanced range of characteristics1. More than 38,000 responses to the Review's Call for Evidence were received prior to this1. Alongside the workshops, the Review will contact stakeholders including Disabled People's Organisations, charities and MPs to test and refine its emerging recommendations over the same period1.
Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, co-chair of the Review, said:
"Disabled people and people with long term health conditions know better than anyone how PIP works in real life where it helps, where it creates barriers, and where it needs to change. That experience has to be part of shaping what comes next."
The Resolution Foundation reported that the interim report said simply: "PIP is not working"2. It said four million people in England and Wales now receive PIP, an increase of 270,000 in the past year alone, and that the caseload has more than doubled since 20192. Real-terms spending on working-age disability benefits has doubled from £14 billion in 2019-20 to £28 billion in 2026-27 and is set to reach £34 billion by 2030-312. The Resolution Foundation said the review is not overtly a cost-saving exercise and that its recommendations will fall within current OBR spending projections2.
Wales Online reported that just over four million people were entitled to claim PIP in July, a total of 4.1m representing roughly a seven per cent increase on the previous year and almost double the 2.2m recorded in 2019-203. The number of claimants is projected to hit 5.4m by 2030-313. The interim report found the claims process, operating under assessment criteria drawn up more than a decade ago, was viewed negatively by 90% of respondents, with just 5% of responses regarding the process positive3. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said a review of the benefit was likely to lead to "change in assessment in the future" to deal with a greater variety of conditions3.
Why it matters for households
PIP helps with the extra living costs of a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability where someone has difficulty carrying out everyday tasks or getting around3. The interim report found that while many disabled people say PIP is vital in helping them meet the extra costs of disability and participate in everyday life, others said it creates barriers to participating fully in work, social and community life, particularly for people with fluctuating, less visible or multiple conditions3. The report said people described the system at times as "dehumanising", "degrading" and "stressful", with the use of supporting evidence deemed too frequently inconsistent3. The Resolution Foundation noted the report flags that the PIP assessment does not "fully reflect real-life impacts" of disability in 2026, and that PIP was introduced in 2013 but the assessment has not changed in the intervening thirteen years2. No changes to entitlement, award rates or reassessments have been announced; the Resolution Foundation said those issues have been saved for the final report2.
What happens next
The final report is due in Autumn 20261. Workshop registration runs from 12 August 2026 to 21 August 2026, with participants informed by 4 September 20261. The Resolution Foundation said it will publish research on how to reform disability benefits later in summer 20262.
For more on PIP claiming and the assessment, and for wider benefits information, see our guides.
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