DWP to verify estimated variety of PIP claimants affected by reforms | Politics | News | EUROtoday

More than a million Brits might quickly discover out if they are going to be affected by controversial proposed modifications to the Personal Independent Payment (PIP) system. An affect evaluation is about to be printed this week, doubtlessly throughout at the moment’s Spring Statement.

As reported by the Daily Record, a number of MPs lodged written queries with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) following the announcement relating to proposed modifications to the welfare system. On March 18, in a press release to Parliament, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall unveiled new plans aimed toward making the PIP extra sustainable by tightening eligibility standards, abolishing the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), and adjusting cost ranges in Universal Credit to reinforce the Standard Allowance.

However, MPs are actually in search of additional particulars on the affect of those reforms, notably the variety of PIP recipients who shall be affected as soon as the modifications – if efficiently legislated – take impact in November 2026. Following the announcement final week, a number of media retailers reported that as many as 1.2 million claimants might be impacted.

Sir Stephen Timms, confirmed that an affect evaluation is about to be printed this week, doubtlessly throughout at the moment’s Spring Statement.

One of probably the most important modifications to PIP pertains to the eligibility for the day by day dwelling element. Rather than scoring between eight and 11 factors for the usual price, or 12 factors or extra for the improved price based mostly on responses to a sequence of questions (descriptors), claimants might want to rating at the very least 4 factors in one of many classes to qualify.

This implies that a person who scores two factors for 5 questions would accumulate 10 factors, however wouldn’t be awarded PIP as they didn’t rating 4 factors for one of many questions.

Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan queried the DWP about its estimation of the variety of new PIP claimants who will “not achieve a minimum of four points in at least one activity to qualify for the daily living element after November 2026”.

In a written response, Sir Stephen said: “The information is intended for publication alongside the Spring Statement.”

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy posed the query: “To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall), if her Department will publish an equality impact assessment on reforms set out in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025.”

Sir Stephen’s reply was: “We will publish the equality analysis for measures included in the Spring Statement alongside the Spring Statement, with equality analysis for other reforms, where possible, following shortly after.”

In one other response, the DWP Minister introduced “a further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months”.

Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley additionally questioned whether or not the DWP has evaluated the “potential impact of proposals to reform the Personal Independence Payment on disabled parents and parents of disabled children”.

Sir Stephen has said: “Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course. Many parents of disabled children will welcome the proposed increase from 16 to 18 in the age of transition from Disability Living Allowance to Personal Independence Payment.

“An extra programme of research to help growth of the proposals within the Green Paper shall be developed and undertaken within the coming months.”

In response to the Newton Abbot MP’s query regarding the assessment of the “potential affect of tightening the eligibility standards for the Personal Independence Payment on the flexibility of disabled individuals to afford their prices”, Sir Stephen elaborated that PIP is a “contribution to the additional prices of being disabled”.

He added: “We have set out plans to introduce a brand new eligibility requirement in PIP so that individuals should rating a minimal of 4 factors in a single day by day dwelling exercise in PIP to be eligible for the day by day dwelling element.

“We are mindful of the impact of this change, as such, in the Green Paper Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working published on 18 March we are consulting on how best to support those who lose entitlement, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.”

He additionally reiterated that particulars on the “impacts of tightening the eligibility criteria will be published in due course”.

The UK Government has said that the brand new measures are supposed to create a welfare system that’s ‘match for function’ and sustainable for future generations. The intention is to extend employment alternatives, stimulate financial development, and handle the escalating advantages invoice, whereas additionally guaranteeing help for these unable to work as a part of the federal government’s Plan for Change.