Disability benefits review finds Pip system ‘not working’
10 reported
A government-commissioned review of the personal independence payment (Pip) has concluded the benefit is “not working” and suffers from systematic problems that undermine public trust. The Timms review’s interim report, published Thursday, warns that the application process and eligibility assessments can be so distressing that claimants describe Pip as something that “breaks” them. The review, co-produced by the Department for Work and Pensions and a panel of disabled people, is the first of its kind since Pip was introduced 13 years ago. It indicates any final recommendations will have to be sustainable within current official spending projections, and leaves open the possibility of non-cash alternatives. Campaigners and thinktanks broadly welcomed the report’s diagnosis but warned changes must not be driven primarily by a desire to cut benefits. The review’s steering group is co-chaired by minister Stephen Timms and disability experts Sharon Brennan and Clenton Farquharson.
What’s reported
The Timms review concluded Pip is “not working” and has systematic, deep-rooted problems.
Nearly 4 million people in England and Wales claim Pip.
The interim report was published on Thursday.
Claimants describe the process as “soul destroying” and say it leads them to give up work and social lives.
The review says any changes must be sustainable within current official Pip spending projections.
Pip is not means-tested and is intended to cover extra costs of living with a disability, with payments up to £194.60 per week.
Spending on Pip has risen rapidly over the past seven years, partly due to an increase in young adults claiming for mental health conditions, but overall benefits spending as a proportion of GDP has remained stable.
The review received nearly 40,000 submissions; the issue of young “snowflake” claimants was barely raised.
Evidence suggests cuts to public services, NHS waiting times, declining healthy life expectancy, and rising living costs may have driven the rise in claims.
The review is co-chaired by Stephen Timms, Sharon Brennan, and Clenton Farquharson.
Key figures
Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability, co-chair of the review steering group
Sharon Brennan, disability expert, co-chair of the review steering group
Clenton Farquharson, disability expert, co-chair of the review steering group
Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation
Rob Lewis, 36, of south London, who has multiple sclerosis and has used the Pip system
Sources: The Guardian
