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Need to know
A review has been taking place on the future of the benefit
Need to Know: report suggests potential savings in disability benefits system
- A new report warns that around one in six working-age PIP claimants do not face any extra costs due to their disability, with the Resolution Foundation suggesting up to £4.4 billion could be saved by reforming payments.
- A survey of 2,611 PIP recipients aged 16–64 in England and Wales found 16% reported no costs from their condition. Young claimants are particularly highlighted, with 21% of those aged 16 to 24 reporting little limitation and no additional costs.
- The think tank also proposed one-off payments for people with specific one-time costs, such as mobility aids or home adaptations, rather than ongoing support. It also recommended overhauling the assessment process to ask claimants directly about their extra costs.
- Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “PIP is a vital benefit for disabled people that enables them to participate in society and live more independently. But the current system is failing on several fronts – recipients don’t trust it, awards don’t fully reflect the nature of disability today and spending is rising unsustainably.”
- Spending on PIP has nearly doubled in real terms, rising from £16.3 billion in 2019-20 to £27.3 billion in 2024-25, and is forecast to reach £41.5 billion by 2030-31. A total of 4.09 million people were entitled to claim PIP as of July 2026, up 7% on the previous year.
- A government review into PIP reform is expected to be published this autumn.
READ THE FULL STORY: New DWP PIP update as claimants could get ‘one-off’ payment
