The Timms Review has issued a call for evidence that will be closing soon
The Timms Review, jointly chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, is currently in progress and may determine the future direction of Personal Independence Payments (PIP). To guarantee that genuine experiences with the benefit are considered, the review has launched a call for evidence.
Submissions can be made until 11:59pm on May 28, 2026. As a reminder ahead of the deadline, the DWP shared a 10-day countdown alert on X encouraging people to voice their opinions on the benefit, with Sir Stephen previously saying: “We want to hear from anyone who has something to say about PIP.”
The call for evidence has been made available in various accessible formats including easy read, sign language and Welsh, all of which can be found on the Gov.uk website.
Submissions may include written responses, existing data or unpublished analysis or reports. Those wishing to respond to the call for evidence can do so online, via email or by post.
After the call for evidence concludes, the Review’s steering group, working alongside the co-chairs, will examine the submissions and the DWP will publish a summary to inform the next phase of the review.
The Review is expected to present its report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in autumn 2026. The Timms Review represents the first comprehensive examination of the disability benefit since its introduction. Its purpose is to ensure PIP remains “fair and fit for the future”.
Sir Stephen previously stated on X: “We want to hear from people who know this system firsthand: disabled people, carers, people working with organisations that represent or support disabled people, if you’ve claimed PIP, supported someone else to, or worked closely with PIP, we’d really like your insight.”
PIP was originally designed to support people with long-term disabilities and health conditions who face a higher cost of living as a result of their health. The benefit payments are meant to cover this additional cost and provide access to other support, like help with travel.
New DWP figures showed £28.5billion was spent on PIP in the 2025/2026 year, with around 3.8 million claimants. In the 2025/2026 year, 2.3% of the benefit was overpaid, an increase from 1.3% the year before.
Evan John, policy adviser at the national disability charity Sense, said: “Today’s figures show that fraud is very uncommon amongst people claiming disability benefits, with the vast majority of funds being used as intended: offsetting the additional costs that come with being disabled, and enabling disabled people to afford the essentials.
“Benefits are an absolute lifeline for disabled people with complex needs. We’re calling on the government to recognise how important disability benefits are for society, and commit to not making any further cuts to disability benefits during their time in government.”
