{"id":125251,"date":"2026-09-08T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/?p=125251"},"modified":"2026-09-08T11:32:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T10:32:09","slug":"pip-changes-could-be-revealed-within-weeks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/pip-changes-could-be-revealed-within-weeks\/","title":{"rendered":"PIP Changes Could Be Revealed Within Weeks After Major Government Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The review comes after previous proposals to restrict PIP eligibility<\/strong> faced opposition from Labour MPs. The findings will help shape the next stage of reforms for a benefit designed to support people with long-term physical or mental health conditions with daily activities and additional living costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public Opinion Shows Limited Support for Reducing Disability Benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

New analysis from the British Social Attitudes (BSA<\/a>) survey suggests that proposals to reduce support for disabled people could face public resistance. According to the National Centre for Social Research<\/strong>, 49% of adults in Britain believe the government should spend more on disabled people, compared with 7% who think spending should be reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey, carried out in autumn 2025, found that support for additional financial assistance was particularly high when linked to everyday activities. Around 83% of respondents backed extra help for cooking, while 80% supported assistance with budgeting and 78% supported help with washing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The researchers noted that the timing of the survey may have influenced attitudes, as it followed the government\u2019s unsuccessful attempt to introduce PIP reforms. The report said it was possible that people were particularly supportive of disability benefits<\/strong> during that period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Dr Robert de Vries<\/a>, senior lecturer in quantitative sociology at the University of Kent and co-author of the BSA analysis, disability benefits <\/a>remain among the most supported areas of welfare spending despite wider disagreements over public spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDespite growing political divisions on welfare, support for disability benefits remains remarkably strong<\/em>,\u201d he said, adding that very few people favour cuts and that disabled people are viewed as among the most deserving recipients of support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research also found differences between views on general welfare spending and disability benefits. Support for increasing spending across welfare categories remained low, with net support standing at minus 15 percentage points in 2025. This compared with much stronger backing for benefits aimed at disabled people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
BSA survey reveals strong support for disability benefits \u00a9Shutterstock<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Timms Review Examines Rising Costs and Future Changes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The review led by Sir Stephen Timms is examining the long-term future of the PIP system, which was introduced in its current form in 2013. The interim report published in July stated that the system was \u201cno longer fit for purpose\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government has argued that changes are needed because of rising costs<\/strong> and concerns about how the system is operating. According to figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, the number of people claiming PIP in England and Wales passed four million for the first time, roughly doubling since 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spending on PIP was \u00a316.3 billion in 2019\/20 when adjusted to today\u2019s prices. This increased to \u00a327.3 billion in 2024\/25, with spending forecast by the government to reach \u00a341.5 billion by 2030\/31. Sir Stephen Timms said the benefits system requires \u201cfundamental change\u201d and must become financially sustainable. He said people would need to wait for the final report <\/strong>before knowing what recommendations would be made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A government spokesperson said the administration inherited a system of rising costs and poor outcomes for too many people. According to the government, measures already being introduced include longer award review periods, more face-to-face assessments <\/strong>and support to help sick or disabled people into work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disability charity Scope <\/strong>has urged ministers to consider the experiences of disabled people when making any changes. James Taylor<\/a> from Scope said the BSA survey showed that the public did not support balancing government finances by reducing support for disabled people. The final recommendations from the Timms and Milburn reviews are expected later this autumn and will set out the government\u2019s next steps for disability benefit reform.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UK government\u2019s review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system is expected to publish its final recommendations this autumn, with Sir Stephen Timms leading an examination of how disability benefits should operate in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-welfare","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33","no-featured-image-padding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125251"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125256,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125251\/revisions\/125256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/en.econostrum.info\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}