Sneaky second u-turn on PIP rules

[MarvellousMonsters]

30 OCTOBER 2025

The government quietly tweaked its PIP review to include current claimants. First they said the review would only affect future claims. Now they've changed the scope - meaning any sick or disabled person relying on this crucial financial support is at risk.

https://the.organise.network/surveys/stephen-timms-review

A revised document issued by the DWP today confirms that current personal independence payment (PIP) claimants will be covered by the Timms review.

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/timms-review-will-cover-current-pip-claimants,-dwp-confirms?utm_source=chatgpt.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=blast1115189

This government seem to hate the disabled it's disgusting!

???

Personally (and I say this as someone in receipt of PIP) I think it is perfectly reasonable to consider both both new and existing claimants. It would be odd to have different rules depending on when you originally applied. People should be treated the same regardless of when they become disabled.

The important thing to me is to get the system itself right.

Absolutely and I say that as a PIP claimant.

Are they still running with this 'four points for at least one thing or you get cut off' situation?

I agree about getting the system right. I don't think that the Government has the will to sort out the mess that is PIP, though. Look how long appeals are taking for instance. It is chaos.

Well, going by the unending threads on MN recently about PIP, this will be welcome news to a lot of people.

It seems though that nothing has actually been finally decided, so we have to wait and see.

There is a widespread opinion that in the wake of the pademic many mental health conditions have been over diagnosed, The kind of mild or temorary anxiety that all of us experience at some time or other is not a disabling mental illness. Rather it is something that a fully functioning adult should be able to cope with and just "get on with it." I suffered anxiety attacks and depression intermittently from my teen years. However because there was little support available I mostly got on with it and had two successful careers, including high academic success. Too many young people are leaving school/college/university and going straight onto benefit without any kind of intervention. There is also the factor that the jobs market is tough. So where are the jobs for these young people to come from when even graduates are looking for work filling shelves?

That has been removed from the terms of reference for the review, so possibly it has been dropped.

My understanding is they initially changed it so that existing claimants were not impacted by the ‘4 point rule’ but this latest review is saying it’ll cover everyone.

I whole heartedly agree that the PIP system needs huge review, but removing it from those who need it, instead of making the application system clearer isn’t the way.

Hmm ok. Maybe that means they've changed it to make it even harder, like not four points for one thing but four for everything?! Gawd I'm scared now..

The Benefits and Work page mentioned by the OP seems to state the 4 point proposal has been dropped.

As the Timms review is a more thorough and principled review rather than the 'slash/burn' effort in the summer extending it to existing claimants seems reasonable.

I whole heartedly agree that the PIP system needs huge review, but removing it from those who need it, instead of making the application system clearer isn’t the way.

We know nothing yet, wait and see what the outcome is before worrying everyone.

I think that is the sensible thing to do.

there is no point worrying about it now, as pp have said, we don't know what will be happening. Guess work helps no one, imo.

Yeah you're right. X

It’s better to oppose it before it’s implemented though. Be vocal about it when they are ‘considering it’, don’t wait until they’ve moved the goalposts and then protest. Email your MP, email the DWP, talk about it on social media and sign petitions before it’s set into law, not after.

Agree. Come next April we are already going to have two groups of people who have been deemed unfit for work. One group ( existing claimants) will get £420 extra ( even more with new rates) and new applicants for the LCWRA will be getting half that.

This thread is about PIP which also applies to people who work. Why are you confusing it with out of work benefits?

Because most people assume that anyone getting PIP is not working.

Admittedly non-working PIP claimants outnumber those who do work, but this is mainly because being able to work is (unofficially) held against you when you apply for PIP. If the govt really wants to help PIP claimants back to work they have to stop penalising those who work and change the assessment process to acknowledge that working part-time doesn’t mean you don’t struggle with activities of daily living.

I am aware of this. You clearly missed the point of what I was even trying to say.

Please elaborate.

Your first sentence says it all.

The amount of benefit bashing threads is beyond stupidity now and this should not be another.

Do you agree with that?

edit: @MarvellousMonsters This isn’t a dig at you, I’m just tired of the constant judgment on here. It would help a great deal if this site considered stopping the terrible amount of judgement towards anyone claiming any kind of benefit, even those trying their hardest to work despite their struggles with disabilities.

It's a pretty obvious comparison of how reform of two different benefits are being handled in very different ways.

Apologies @Minty25 I certainly misunderstood your post.

Thank you for clarifying @MarvellousMonsters