Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, has assured that individuals of State Pension age will not be “routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes”.
The Department for Work and Pensions has issued an update over PIP claimants of pension age needing to hit new points thresholds to keep their payments. Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, has assured that individuals of State Pension age will not be “routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes”.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns reached out “to ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether existing Personal Independence Payment claimants of pension age with a planned award review from November 2026 will be required to score at least four points in one daily living activity in order to maintain their award.”
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Labour Party MP Sir Stephen Timms told her: “In the Pathways to Work Green Paper we announced that we will introduce a new eligibility requirement to ensure that only those who score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity will be eligible for the daily living component of PIP.
“This requirement will need to be met in addition to the existing PIP eligibility criteria. Our intention is that the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.
“In keeping with existing policy, people of state pension age are not routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes.
“All claimants are required to notify the Department of any change to their circumstance, be that an improvement or deterioration in their needs.
“Upon notification of a change, a Case Manager will consider what further action might be required to ensure the claimant is receiving the correct level of support.”
The current PIP policy is those nearing State Pension age making a new claim for PIP, or existing claimants turning 66, typically undergo a ‘light-touch’ review of 10 years.
Retirees will no longer be able to claim seven benefits once they reach the State Pension age. Currently set at 66, retirees won’t be able to claim a range of benefits available to the population that the government deems as working age.
