DWP PIP benefit ‘not fit for purpose’, major review finds (Image: Getty)
A major disability benefit claimed by millions of Brits is no longer “fit for purpose”, a report has found. A new review of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Personal Independence Payment (PIP) found that the benefit has failed to keep pace with changes in disability, health and work over the past decade.
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability and co-chair of the Review, said: “This interim report delivers a clear message: while PIP is widely valued as a benefit, it is not working as intended and needs fundamental change.”
The report said that while PIP is valued as a cash benefit, it is not working as intended (Image: Getty)
The Timms Review, published on Thursday, is part of the first comprehensive review of PIP since the benefit was introduced in 2013 and will help inform recommendations for reform this autumn.
The report said that while PIP is widely valued as a cash benefit, it is not working as intended for disabled people or wider society.
While many disabled people said PIP was vital in helping them meet the extra costs of disability and participate in everyday life, others stated PIP created barriers to participating fully in work, social and community life.
This was particularly true for people with fluctuating, less visible, or multiple conditions.
The process of claiming was viewed negatively by 90% of respondents and, at times, described as “dehumanising”, “degrading” and “stressful”.
Respondents also said the use of supporting evidence was too often inconsistent. Only 5% of responses about the process were positive.
The review also reported low levels of trust in the system and the need for it to be built back, both for disabled people and those with long-term conditions, as well as for the taxpayer.
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Sharon Brennan, co-chair of the Review, said: “Improving trust in the system – both from the public and those going through the system – is vital if PIP is to be fit and fair for the future.
“Of those that responded to the steering group’s Call for Evidence, over 90% described negative experiences of the process of claiming PIP, with concerns raised around all aspects of the process from application through to assessment and appeals.
“We’ve heard loud and clear: PIP is highly valued as a benefit but is not fit for purpose. We are committed to making changes so that PIP can fulfil its purpose.”
PIP was introduced in 2013 to contribute towards the extra costs of disability and support independent living, but hasn’t been fully reviewed since, despite shifting trends in health and disability, and changes in wider society and the workplace.
The Review launched last October with the aim of ensuring PIP is “fair and fit for the future in a changing world” and of supporting disabled people to “achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence”, including through employment.
The steering group will continue to gather evidence through sessions with experts and workshops around the country, while moving into the next phase to design and test recommendations for change. The final recommendations are due to be published this autumn.
