Disabled people and campaign groups will have direct influence over the Government’s forthcoming review of personal independence payment (PIP), Stephen Timms has told The i Paper.
The minister for social security and disability said the review would be led by two co-chairs and a steering group “of about a dozen people, most of whom will be disabled”, including representatives of disabled people’s organisations.
“Between us, we will work through the whole set of issues between now and the autumn of next year,” he said. “The report that is produced at the end of that will be a joint output from all of us. I won’t control it. I’ll be one of the group… what I’m hoping will emerge from that is a consensus about the right way forward.”
The Timms review, expected to conclude in autumn 2026, was announced in July after the Government was forced to scale back the most controversial elements of its Universal Credit and PIP Bill.
The climbdown followed a threatened rebellion by Labour MPs, with around 126 backbenchers reportedly prepared to back an amendment to block the legislation.
To win them over, ministers agreed to exempt all existing PIP claimants from the new eligibility rules and protect the incomes of people receiving the health element of universal credit.
The original proposals, would have made it harder to claim PIP, were designed to help save £5bn as Chancellor Rachel Reeves struggles to fill a £20-£30bn hole in the nation’s finances.
MPs rebelled amid reports the changes would plunge put 250,000 people including 50,000 children into poverty.
Priority remains getting people into work
The result is a diluted welfare package, now focused on increasing the standard rate of universal credit, expanding back-to-work support, and maintaining higher payments for severely sick or disabled claimants.
Timms said the Government’s priority remained helping people move from long-term sickness benefits into sustainable employment. “What the system should be doing is encouraging people to look for work, and also providing the support to make work feasible,” he said.
He pointed to the Connect to Work programme, which offers intensive employment help for those with long-term health conditions, and the Youth Guarantee, which provides guaranteed jobs for young people on benefits.
He also confirmed that his review will look closely at how the PIP assessment deals with so-called fluctuating conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, after years of complaints that the system fails to reflect the realities of symptoms that can vary in severity.
Timms made the comments while visiting the Fair Shot cafe in central London, which trains young adults with learning disabilities and helps them find sustainable jobs.
“This question of how the PIP assessment deals with fluctuating health conditions… will be one of the major themes of the review,” he said. “In terms of the complaints I see at the moment about how things work, the assessment of fluctuating conditions is one of the most frequent complaints. That will certainly be high up on our agenda.”
Timms stressed that no one currently receiving PIP will see changes to their eligibility while the review is underway.
‘No PIP changes until after the review’
“What I can confirm is there will be no changes to eligibility for personal independence payment until my review has concluded in the autumn of next year,” he said. “What happens after that will depend on what emerges from this co-produced review.”
The comments are likely intended to reassure campaigners and MPs after weeks of uncertainty over the pace of welfare reform.
In June, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told MPs that ministers had “listened to colleagues who support the principle of reform but are worried about the impact of the pace of change”.
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Under the revised plan, new eligibility rules will apply only to fresh claims from November 2026. Those on the health element of universal credit who meet the “severe conditions” threshold will have their incomes protected in real terms.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that the concessions will cost £1.5bn by the end of the Parliament, while the Resolution Foundation suggests the figure could reach £3bn. Kendall has defended the move as striking “the right balance between fairness and sustainability”.
The Government is expected to release more details about the steering group later this month, including how members will be selected and the extent of their decision-making powers.
Once the review concludes in the autumn of next year, its findings will be reported to the Work and Pensions Secretary, who will then decide what actions will be taken from it.
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