wrans/answers2025-06-25 conversation_28
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-25)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-25 conversation_28

Richard Burgon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate her Department has made of the number of Personal Independence Payment recipients who (a) rely on that payment to work and (b) might lose money as a result of her Department's proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment eligibility criteria. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Some 17% of PIP claimants are in employment. No assessment has been made on the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) recipients who rely on their PIP payment to work.

However, an assessment has been made on the number of PIP recipients who might lose money as a result of the proposed changes to eligibility, and can be found in the ‘The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill: Change to Personal Independence Payment eligibility requirement from the Department for Work and Pensions - June 2025’ impact assessment, in table 3, found at the following website: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament (https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3988/publications). Many people who are no longer entitled to the Daily Living component of PIP will still, however, receive the mobility component.

Table 3 outlines that by 2029/30, a minimum 4-point score requirement would result in an estimated 60,000 current PIP claimants (as at October 2026) moving from the enhanced rate of PIP daily living to the nil rate, and 320,000 current PIP claimants (as at October 2026) moving from the standard rate of PIP daily living to the nil rate. It would also result in an estimated 40,000 new claims not being entitled to the enhanced daily living component and 390,000 new claims not being entitled to the standard daily living component (post October 2026).

Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026 for PIP, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. No one over state pension age at the time any changes come in will be affected.

The change includes a run-on of PIP entitlement for 13 weeks as a financial protection, which will apply to claimants who lose entitlement on award review because of the new requirement. This run-on will extend to passported benefits such as Carer’s Allowance and the UC carer’s element. Claimants will continue to receive these awards during the run on period.

The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who didn’t score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment – not least as many conditions tend to get worse, not better, over time. Under the current eligibility criteria, 19% of award reviews over the last 5 years have resulted in an increased award.

After accounting for behavioural changes, the OBR predicts that 9 out 10 PIP recipients at the time of policy implementation are expected to be unaffected by the PIP 4-point change in 2029/30.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of working age people on PIP/DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this Parliament and spending will rise from £23 billion in 24/25 to £31 billion in 29/30.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.