Disabled Experts Lead Major UK Personal Independence Payment Review

The UK government has launched the first comprehensive review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), aiming to ensure the benefit fairly reflects the realities of disabled people's lives today. Two disability experts, Dr. Clenton Farquharson and Sharon Brennan, have been appointed as co-chairs to lead the Timms Review, emphasizing disabled people's central role in shaping the process. The review comes after the government scrapped welfare bill proposals that would have restricted PIP eligibility, with any changes postponed until the review's conclusion expected by autumn 2026. The initiative seeks to address shifts in disability trends, including increased prevalence among young people and rising mental health conditions, while focusing on making PIP fit for the modern world. Advocates stress the importance of co-production with disabled communities to build trust and ensure the system empowers rather than frustrates beneficiaries. The review will also consider how PIP assessments can better unlock wider support and enable independent living and full societal participation for disabled individuals.