DWP confirms new PIP measures will change eligibility rules and introduce more face-to-face assessments

PIP payments will remain unchanged and will not be replaced by vouchers.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has confirmed a series of changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) aimed at future-proofing the benefit for disabled people who need support for years to come. In a statement in Parliament on Tuesday, Ms Kendall confirmed that PIP payments will not be frozen and will not be replaced by vouchers – a proposal previously put forward by the then Conservative government in a consultation paper last year.

Ms Kendall also announced that the number of face-to-face assessments will be increased to ensure people are receiving the support they need – all PIP assessments will be recorded as standard. There will be changes to the daily living component points threshold, but no changes to the mobility component.

PIP will be targeted more on those with higher needs by requiring a minimum of four points on one daily living activity, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria. DWP will ensure that existing PIP claimants who may no longer be entitled to the benefit following an award review under new eligibility rules have their health and eligible care needs met.

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Minister for Social Security and Disabilities, Sir Stephen Timms will work with experts, disabled people and stakeholders to reform the PIP assessment process.

It’s important to be aware that the proposed reforms announced in Parliament on Tuesday will not directly affect disability claimants in Scotland currently claiming devolved health-related benefits, unless funding for the Scottish Government is impacted by planned changes by Westminster.

The UK Government said the new measures are designed to ensure a welfare system that is ‘fit for purpose’ and available for future generations – opening up employment opportunities, boosting economic growth and tackling the spiralling benefits bill, while also ensuring those who cannot work get the support they need as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said that the number of people claiming PIP has also risen rapidly and is becoming “unsustainable”. Ms Kendall said that more than 1,000 PIP claims are being awarded per day.

Ms Kendall told MPs: “That’s the equivalent of adding a population the size of Leicester every single year.”

She continued: “We will legislate for a change in PIP so people will need to score a minimum of 4 points in at least one activity to qualify for the daily living element of PIP from November 2026. This will not affect the mobility component of PIP and only relates to the daily living element.

“And alongside this, we will launch a review of the PIP assessment led by my Right Honourable Friend, the Minister for Social Security and Disability (Sir Stephen Timms), in close consultation with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts so we make sure PIP and the assessment process is fit for purpose, now and into the future.”

New figures from the DWP show that there were 3.7 million people claiming PIP at the end of January, an increase of 12 per cent from 3.3 million a year earlier in January 2024 and 71 per cent higher than the equivalent figure five years ago.

Since the pandemic, the number of working-age people receiving PIP has more than doubled from 15,300 to 35,100 a month. The number of young people (16-24) receiving PIP per month has also skyrocketed from 2,967 to 7,857 a month.

Over the next five years, if no action is taken, the number of working age people claiming PIP is expected to increase from 2 million in 2021 to 4.3 million, costing £34.1 billion annually.

Planned changes to PIP would come into effect in November 2026.

Online consultation

The ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’ consultation on GOV.UK is open until June 30, 2025.

The consultation sets out plans and proposals to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. DWP said: “We are keen to hear views from a wide group of people, in particular disabled people and people with health conditions and disability organisations.”

This consultation applies to England, Wales and Scotland. All the proposals apply in England. Note that the proposals in the consultation will only apply to the UK Government’s areas of responsibility in England, Wales and Scotland.

You can complete the consultation online here.

Commenting on the announcement, Citizens Advice Scotland head of social justice Emma Jackson said: “We are very concerned about the implications of today’s statement. While much of the detail of how it will affect Scotland is still not clear, the UK Government’s aims to cut the welfare budget by £5 billion by 2030 will certainly put pressure on the system here.

“We fear it would lead to reduced incomes for those experiencing some of the most severe poverty in our society. This is unacceptable.”

James Watson-O’Neill, Chief Executive at the national disability charity Sense, said: “Disabled people need greater support from the government, not draconian cuts that will drive more disabled people into poverty.

“We are deeply concerned about the devastating impact these cuts will have on those disabled people who are unable to work. They deserve vital financial protection. Our research has shown that half of disabled people with complex needs who are unable to work already can’t afford the support and equipment they require – these cuts could push many further into crisis.

“Trying to frame cuts to benefits as a solution to incentivise work is misplaced. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) was never designed to help people find work. It’s about helping disabled people cover the extra costs of living with a disability, which often enables them to stay in employment. Stripping away this support will not create more job opportunities for disabled people – it will simply leave them more vulnerable.

“Instead of cutting vital support, Sense calls on the government to focus on removing the barriers disabled jobseekers face. We need a nationwide rollout of assistive technology in job centres, and much more targeted training for work coaches to support disabled people’s unique needs. Most importantly, we need the government to commit to ensuring that disabled people who cannot work are financially protected, not penalised for being disabled.”