A government review is examining PIP amid concerns over rising costs
Ministers are under pressure to make radical changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) amid efforts to tackle the nation’s rising benefits bill. PIP helps people aged 16 and over who have long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities with the extra costs of living.
Unlike Universal Credit the benefit is not means-tested with payments based on a person’s physical needs rather than their income or savings. However, major changes to PIP are in the pipeline under a review being led by disabilities and social security minister Sir Stephen Timms.
The review was ordered following a backlash from Labour MPs and campaigners against government proposals that would have restricted access to new claimants in an effort to curb the spiralling cost of the benefit. The review involves disabled people, representative organisations, clinicians, carers, MPs and other experts.
The government insists it aims to ensure PIP remains fair, reflects modern life, and supports independence and participation in society, however critics fear that it will return into a cost cutting exercise.
You can usually claim PIP if you:
- Are aged 16 or over and under State Pension age
- Have a disability or health condition that affects daily life or getting around
- Expect these difficulties to last at least 12 months
If you’re over State Pension age, new claims are usually not accepted – you’d normally claim Attendance Allowance instead.
How it works – Assessments and scoring
PIP is split into two components – and you can get either one or both:
- Daily Living Component: For help with everyday tasks like preparing food, washing, dressing, managing treatments, handling money or communicating.
- Mobility Component: For help getting around, planning and following journeys or physically moving.
Assessment is points-based. A trained health professional reviews evidence and scores your ability to carry out listed activities. You must generally have difficulty on most days (more than half the time) in a 12-month period.
Points are added up and a person will be entitled to PIP if they pass set thresholds. These are 8-11 points for standard rate payments and 12 or more points for the enhanced rate You can be awarded both components if your condition affects both daily living and mobility.
How much does PIP pay?
The weekly rates for 2025/26 are:
Daily Living: Standard £73.90; Enhanced £110.40
Mobility: Standard £29.20; Enhanced £77.05
PIP is tax-free and usually paid every four weeks direct into your bank account.
Many recipients also qualify for extras such as a Disabled Persons Railcard, Blue Badge parking, vehicle tax exemptions, and – at the higher mobility rate – the option to lease a car via the Motability Scheme.
PIP and the Motability Scheme
The Motability Scheme lets people with mobility needs lease a car, scooter or powered wheelchair by exchanging their Enhanced Rate Mobility component of PIP.
It’s a charity‑run leasing programme that bundles insurance, servicing, breakdown cover and maintenance into one package, making vehicles more affordable and reliable for disabled people who rely on them. Around 800,000 people currently use the scheme.
From late November 2025, Motability removed premium brands such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes‑Benz, Lexus and Alfa Romeo from the list of vehicles new customers can order. Coupe and convertible models have also been withdrawn.
Following the 2025 Autumn Budget, significant tax changes were confirmed that will affect new Motability leases from 1 July 2026:
Advance Payments (upfront contributions on higher‑spec vehicles) will no longer be zero‑rated for VAT. This means 20% VAT will be charged on the top‑up amount customers pay above their benefit contribution.
The scheme’s exemption from Insurance Premium Tax will be restricted. From July 2026, most vehicles will be subject to a 12% IPT on insurance, except for wheelchair‑adapted vehicles (which will remain exempt).
Claimant numbers have skyrocketed
The number of people claiming PIP has grown sharply since the benefit was introduced in 2013 – driven by more applications and more people staying in the system.
Over the past year alone, the total PIP caseload in England and Wales rose by roughly 300,000 claimants from around 3.6 m in late 2024 to 3.9 m in late 2025.
Of these recipients, around 2.4 million are new claims and 1.3 million transferred from the old Disability Living Allowance system.
This climb reflects greater recognition of conditions like mental-health disabilities.
How long are awards, and when are you reassessed?
PIP awards are typically set for a fixed period (often 1–3 years), after which claimants are reassessed based on how their condition has evolved. Current practice sees average reassessments around every three years, while some awards might be longer or shorter.
The Timms Review is explicitly looking at how reassessments should work in future, seeking to ensure that any changes are fair for both new and existing claimants.
Some of the issues the review will consider include:
- Whether the current activity descriptors and points system still reflect modern reality
- How additional evidence could be used alongside functional assessments
- Whether assessments can better connect claimants to wider support
- How reassessment intervals and assessment methods might be redesigned to be more humane and accurate
What could change after the review?
Depending on what the Timms Review recommends, potential reforms might include:
- Redesigning activity descriptors to better reflect how health conditions affect people today
- Changing how evidence is weighted in assessments
- Adjusting how often claimants are reassessed
- Improving safeguards such as recorded assessments and better training for assessors
- Integrating PIP more closely with wider support services and pathways to independence
Any changes would likely require new legislation or regulations, which means they would be unlikely to take effect until 2027 at the earliest.
