The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has responded to questions about whether cash payments will remain the default form of support for people receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The issue has been raised in Parliament as the Timms Review considers recommendations that could shape the future of the benefit.
The review has already outlined proposals covering how people apply for PIP, how their needs are assessed and what forms of support they might receive. While maintaining cash payments is among its stated principles, the Government has yet to confirm what arrangements will follow the review’s final report.
DWP Responds to Parliamentary Question on Cash Payments
The question of whether PIP will continue to be provided primarily through cash payments was raised in the House of Commons by Neil Duncan-Jordan, the Labour MP for Poole.
According to Birmingham Live, Duncan-Jordan asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether cash would remain the default method of providing PIP to all claimants following the Timms Review. He also sought confirmation that any support offered in a non-cash form would be accessed voluntarily.
Sir Stephen Timms, the Labour MP for East Ham who is leading the review, responded by explaining that its steering group was still considering its recommendations.
“The Timms Review steering group is considering its recommendations ahead of the final report’s publication in autumn,” Timms said. He also clarified that the Government would consider the review’s findings before determining how to proceed. “The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will consider the findings before deciding any next steps,” he added.
The response did not provide a definitive commitment that cash would remain the default form of payment for every claimant. Nor did it explicitly confirm whether all non-cash support would be voluntary.
The review’s final report is expected before the end of the year. Its recommendations will inform the Government’s consideration of the future arrangements for PIP, although decisions on subsequent steps remain outstanding.
Timms Review Outlines Principles for Future PIP Support
The Timms Review published draft recommendations in September, following the emergence of its early proposals towards the end of the summer.
According to Birmingham Live, the first group of recommendations concentrates on making PIP easier to apply for and improving claimants’ experience of the process.
The review also identifies principles intended to guide the benefit following reform. Among these is the position that cash should remain the foundation of PIP awards.
Another principle is that PIP should continue to be a non-means-tested benefit designed to help people meet the additional costs associated with disability.
The recommendations also address the assessment process. The review states that assessments should be as simple as possible, while the DWP has committed to adopting a “Tell Us Once” approach to gathering evidence.
This approach forms part of the proposed changes to how information is collected during the application and assessment process.
Non-cash assistance also features in the plans. The DWP has indicated that some awards will include support and services provided in forms other than money, with categories of costs used to assess claimants’ additional expenses.
These proposals sit alongside the review’s principle of retaining cash as the foundation of PIP. The precise arrangements have not yet been settled, with the Secretary of State due to consider the final recommendations before deciding what happens next.
