Some Personal Independence Payment (PIP) awards could include services or other forms of support instead of being provided entirely through cash payments under new proposals being considered as part of a major review of the disability benefit.
Cash would remain the "foundation" of PIP under emerging recommendations drawn up by the Timms Review, but some awards could also include services or other "non-cash support".
Other proposed changes include reducing unnecessary benefit reviews for people with lifelong or degenerative conditions, improving how PIP deals with fluctuating conditions and ending rules that can see payments suspended when someone spends more than 28 consecutive days in hospital.
Proposals not final
The proposals are not final and will now be tested with disabled people and organisations before the Review makes its final recommendations to the Secretary of State later this autumn.
It's important to be aware that PIP has been replaced by Adult Disability Payment (ADP) for people living in Scotland, so the proposed changes would not immediately apply to ADP. However, workshops testing the emerging recommendations are being held across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Timms Review said nearly 4,000 people had registered an interest in taking part in the workshops, which begin on September 15.
Proposed changes to PIP
The emerging recommendations include:
- Keeping cash as the foundation of PIP while considering whether some awards could include services or other non-cash support
- Reducing the number of unnecessary reviews for people with lifelong or degenerative conditions
- Ending the stress caused by rules which suspend PIP for people who spend more than 28 consecutive days in hospital
- Improving how the benefit accounts for fluctuating health conditions
- Increasing capacity for face-to-face assessments while making more digital services available
- Introducing an advocacy service to help people communicate why they need support
- Creating a basic framework for how decisions are made and appealed
The Review has also made clear that PIP should remain a flexible, non-means tested benefit providing a cash contribution towards the extra costs faced by disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.
Its recommendations must remain within Office for Budget Responsibility projections for future PIP expenditure.
PIP claims and spending
More than four million people were claiming PIP in England and Wales in July, around double the number in 2019.
Spending on the benefit stood at £16.3billion in 2019/20 when adjusted for inflation to today's prices, rising to £27.3bn in 2024/25. It is forecast to reach £41.5bn by 2030/31.
PIP awards currently range from £30.30 a week to £194.60 depending on how someone's condition affects their ability to carry out everyday activities and get around.
Disability charities response
Harriet Edwards, director of influence at disability charity Sense, welcomed several of the emerging recommendations. She said: "It is good to see vital measures that disabled people have called for over many years included in the emerging recommendations.
"Reducing unnecessary and stressful award reviews for people with lifelong or degenerative conditions, introducing an advocacy service so people can communicate why they need support and creating a basic framework for how decisions are made and appealed are fundamental to a fair system."
However, she said the Review also needed to make clear that disability benefits should be protected and improved rather than cutting spending "to balance the country's books at the cost of disabled people's wellbeing".
Ross Barrett, policy manager at the MS Society, said the Timms Review was an opportunity to "finally fix PIP and create a system based on fairness, dignity and respect".
He added: "It's vital the review continues to work with disabled people to shape the finished recommendations and ensures the new system provides people with the right level of support for their needs."
The Timms Review is being co-chaired by Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan.
In its September update, the Review said it had now moved from gathering evidence about problems with the existing system to testing what potential changes could look like.
Fifteen workshops will be held across the UK, with participants asked to identify what could work, potential unintended consequences and changes needed to ensure proposals operate fairly in practice.
The Review will also hold roundtables with Disabled People's Organisations, charities and other groups before agreeing its final recommendations later this autumn.
