The Government is asking people to share their views on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) — and Barnwood is here to support people and organisations to take part.

The Timms Review is looking at how PIP is working, people’s experiences of claiming and receiving it, and what could be improved in the future. If you have lived or learned experience of PIP, this is an opportunity to help shape what happens next.

We have put together this information sheet to help people and organisations understand how to take part in the Timms Review. It covers what PIP is, what the Review is focusing on, and how to share your views.

What is Personal Independence Payment (PIP)? 

Personal Independence Payment was introduced in 2013. It is a tax-free welfare benefit that was designed to help people pay for extra living costs associated with having a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability.  

It is not a means-tested benefit. This means that a person’s income, savings or employment status does not affect whether they are eligible for PIP. It is awarded on the basis of how a condition affects a person’s daily life, rather than on a specific diagnosis.  

There are two parts to PIP: a daily living component, designed to help with everyday tasks, and a mobility component, designed to help with moving around. 

To be eligible for PIP, a person must: 

• Be aged 16 years or over (and under state pension age if they are making a new claim) 

• Have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability 

• Have difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or moving around and expect these difficulties to last for at least 12 months from the date they started 

• Meet certain conditions related to residency and physically being within the UK. 

What is the Timms Review? 

The Timms Review is a review of PIP that the Government is conducting. Since PIP was introduced, trends in long-term health conditions and disability, wider society and the workplace have changed. PIP claims have grown, which means that spending on PIP for working age claimants has doubled. In 2019-2020, PIP cost the Government £11 billion and in 2024 this was £22 billion.  

The aim of the Timms Review is to ensure that PIP is fair, fit for the future and helps disabled people achieve better health, greater independence and a higher standard of living. The Review is being co-produced with disabled people, organisations that represent disabled people, carers, experts, clinicians, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders. A Steering Group, made up of 12 members with a diverse range of experience, are jointly leading the co-production of the Review. 

The Timms Review Steering Group is leading a ‘call for evidence’, asking people and organisations to give their views to inform the Review. Anyone can contribute their views to the call for evidence until 11.59pm on 28 May 2026. All the information submitted will be shared with the Timms Review Steering Group. 

Read the information about the Timms Review and the call for evidence. This information is available in different formats, including: 

• Large print

• Easy Read

• Audio

• British Sign Language

It includes information about data protection and confidentiality. 

What does the Timms Review focus on? 

The Timms Review Steering Group want to gather information about the following areas: 

• The role and purpose of PIP: This covers how PIP should be supporting disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, and how effectively it is doing this at the moment. 
• Eligibility, fairness and equity in the award of PIP: This covers what people want PIP to assess, how this assessment is done and the barriers people might face to accessing PIP. 
• Experience of claiming PIP: This covers the current experience of people claiming PIP – making an application through to receiving PIP; also disputing a decision and award reviews. They are interested to know whether different groups of people have different experiences and how people’s experiences could be improved.  
• Changing context and the impact on PIP: There are specific areas the group would like to focus on, such as changes that have contributed to the rising number of people claiming PIP, how PIP needs to adapt to the future and any wider changes that are needed to ensure PIP works. 

What will happen after the call for evidence closes? 

All the evidence submitted before the closing date will be shared with the Timms Review Steering Group and used to inform the next steps for the Review. A summary of the responses received will also be published at some point during the Review. 

The Review intends to report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in autumn 2026.