A major DWP project is under way working to a November deadline
A top DWP minister has set out some key dates relating to PIP as some claimants should look out for an important message. Senior Labour minister Sir Stephen Timms shared an update with MPs about a major project that is under way.
A major review of PIP is underway, led by Sir Stephen, with the group now working towards setting out its recommendations for how to improve the benefit. They have already spoken to a lot of people to get their thoughts on what changes are needed, including PIP claimants and disability advocates.
PIP events
In the next stage, the DWP is organising regional and online workshops running from mid-September through October, to hear more people’s opinions. Sir Stephen told the Work and Pensions Committee on September 2: “We’ve now got a series of what we’re calling ‘shaping recommendations workshops’.
“They’ll be running for a month from the middle of September. We’ve invited a number of disability organisations to host those workshops, and we’ve issued an open invitation to people who’d like to take part.”
Registration has now closed for these workshops, with the review leaders choosing who will take part. Sir Stephen said: “We’ve had, I think, something like 3,000 people saying they would like to take part. We’ll be choosing round about 300 of those to fill up those workshops that we are running.”
Friday date
These workshops will include a variety of people, including those who claim PIP, people who support those on the benefit such as carers, and others who have a stake in the future of PIP. Government guidance sets out that successful applicants selected to attend will be notified by Friday, September 4.
Sir Stephen said: “And again, making sure we’ve got broad representation will be an important consideration in deciding who is invited to take part.” He told the committee they hope to publish the final report in November 2026.
A previous call for evidence for the review attracted a lot of responses. Looking at the feedback from this, Sir Stephen told the committee: “We published our interim report, the results of which were largely drawn from the call for evidence responses.
“We had 38,000 responses to our call for evidence, and those themes that you’ve picked out were very, very strongly represented in the replies that we received.” The report said that the review’s steering group had “heard consistent testimonies of how PIP is valued as a benefit, but at the same time is experienced as being not fit for purpose”.
Over 50 per cent of respondents said they valued the support, yet around half of people said that payment amounts are insufficient.
How much is PIP?
PIP is intended to help cover the additional costs associated with a long-term illness or disability. At the highest level, claims reach £194.60 a week, worth around £10,100 annually.
These are the current weekly rates for the benefit:
Daliy living
- Lower – £76.70
- Higher – £114.60.
Mobility
- Lower – £30.30
- Higher – £80.00.
Working on recommendations
Sir Stephen also spoke about who makes up the team leading the review. He said: “We’ve got a steering group. I’m one of three co-chairs. We’ve got 12 members of the steering group. Of those 12, all but one are disabled people.”
He emphasized their primary focus: “And between us, we will come up with a set of recommendations for the future of PIP. And I think the wellbeing of people claiming PIP is going to be a central concern of the group that’s doing that work. And that’s very fully represented in the regular, all-day meetings that we’re having at the moment.”
