The government has launched the Timms Review to ensure that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is fair and fit for the future in a changing world, and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. Ministers are now asking the public to contribute evidence that will help shape the future of disability support in the UK.
Why the Review Is Happening
PIP helps many people cover the extra costs that come with having a disability or a long‑term health condition. The government says it will continue to be a non‑means‑tested benefit that people can receive whether they are working or not.
However, even though disability, long‑term health conditions, society, and the workplace have all changed over time, PIP has never had a full review. These changes raise a fundamental question: Does PIP still meet the needs it was originally designed to address? Answering that question sits at the heart of the Timms Review.
What the Review Will Explore
The review goes beyond examining costs. It is intended to be a thorough investigation into how disability shapes everyday life and whether PIP genuinely reflects those lived realities. It focuses on:
- Real‑world impact — whether the current assessment captures the true challenges disabled people face
- Assessment fairness — including accuracy, consistency, and the experience of claimants
- Support for independence — whether PIP helps people participate fully in society
- Long‑term sustainability — ensuring the system can meet future needs
The review is chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, alongside disability policy expert Sharon Brennan and advocate Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE.
A steering group of 12 members, each bringing lived experience or specialist knowledge, ensures the process is grounded in real‑life perspectives rather than abstract policy.
This coproduction model signals an important shift, positioning disabled people not as subjects of the review but as equal partners in its development.
Why Your Voice Matters
This review could lead to the most significant reform of disability benefits in a decade. By sharing your experience or expertise, you can help shape a system that better reflects the realities of disabled people’s lives.
Who Can Contribute
The government is inviting contributions from:
- Disabled people
- Carers and families
- Charities and advocacy groups
- Clinicians and health professionals
- Academics and policy specialists
This call for evidence is open to anyone with insight into how PIP works, or fails to work, in practice. Personal stories, professional observations, and data‑driven analysis are all welcome. The goal is to build a picture of PIP that reflects the lived reality of millions.
How to Respond to the Call for Evidence
The Review is inviting responses to this call for evidence by 11:59 pm on 28 May 2026.
Online
Please respond to this call for evidence using the online form. You can submit your response anonymously.
If your response includes attachments or exceeds the character limit of the online form, please email your response to timmsreview.callforevidence@dwp.gov.uk.
By post
If you would like to respond by post, please mail your response to the Department for Work and Pensions at the following address:
The Timms Review
Disability and Health Strategy Directorate
Department for Work and Pensions
Floor Two
Caxton House
London
SW1H 9NA
By email
You can email timmsreview.callforevidence@dwp.gov.uk to find out about alternative ways to submit a response (for example, by audio). You can also use this email address if your response includes attachments or exceeds the character limit of the online form.
You can submit a video in British Sign Language to timmsreview.bsl@dwp.gov.uk.
Please ensure that call for evidence responses are submitted before the closing date of 11:59 pm on 28 May 2026.
Accessibility
This call for evidence has been published in accessible versions including British Sign Language, Easy Read, audio, Braille, large print and Welsh translation. To request a Braille version or physical copies of other published accessible versions of this call for evidence, please email timmsreview.callforevidence@dwp.gov.uk.