The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced substantial modifications to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system set to begin in November 2026. The alterations, which affect both new and established claimants, will not influence those of State Pension age. This confirmation comes from Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability.
According to data from January, roughly 690,186 individuals between the ages of 65 and 79 were beneficiaries of PIP. The transition to Adult Disability Payment (ADP) under the Scottish Social Security system is scheduled for this spring. Sir Stephen Timms reassured Labour MP Paula Barker that the new eligibility requirements, necessitating a minimum score in daily living activities, will exclusively apply to new claims and assessments post-November 2026, pending parliamentary ratification.
Concerns raised by Independent MP Apsana Begum were also addressed by the minister, with confirmation that the speedier process for those near the end of their lives will persist unchanged. Those with less than 12 months to live will continue to receive rapid support and the heightened rate of the daily living component of PIP.
Projections from the government anticipate a rise in PIP claimants from 3.7 million to 4 million by the close of the decade, initiating an array of reforms purposed to make certain the system’s sustainability. Among these are ending reassessments for people unable to work, abolishing the Work Capability Assessment, and a £1 billion investment in bespoke employment support.
Further actions will include reassessments for those on incapacity benefits able to work and modifications to PIP eligibility conditions to focus on higher needs. The DWP has additionally initiated an online consultation, open for public feedback on these proposals until June 30, 2025.
This article has utilised information originally reported by www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk and was edited for The Lincoln Post.
