UK advisers consider practical support option in PIP overhaul
Some claimants could exchange part of their cash award for equipment, services or training under preliminary recommendations being tested ahead of the Timms review.
Government advisers reviewing the UK’s Personal Independence Payment system have proposed allowing some claimants to exchange part of their cash award for specialist equipment, services or training.
The recommendations, reported by The Guardian, are preliminary and are expected to be tested in workshops involving thousands of people with disabilities before the Timms review reports this autumn. They are not government policy.
Cash would remain the foundation of PIP, which would continue to be non-means-tested. The review does not propose cuts, although it recognises that reforms must remain within projected spending limits.
Other emerging recommendations include faster access for people with terminal illnesses, fewer reassessments for those with lifelong or degenerative conditions, and a review of rules that suspend payments after more than 28 consecutive days in hospital.
PIP is claimed by nearly 4 million people in England and Wales, with weekly awards ranging from £30.30 to £194.60 and annual spending of about £23 billion. The review followed the government’s withdrawal of planned disability-benefit cuts in 2025 and an interim finding that the system was no longer fit for purpose.
The Department for Work and Pensions said the recommendations were not final and that the secretary of state would consider the review’s final proposals. Details of eligibility, assessment and the value of any practical support remain undecided.
