DWP to overhaul PIP assessment rules for four million claimants

The DWP is set to introduce new Personal Independence Payment assessment rules affecting all four million claimants, as the Labour government aims to make the system fairer and reduce the frequency of reviewsJames Rodger Content Editor and Katie Green Senior multimedia reporter04:00, 10 May 2026DWP to subject all 4 million PIP claimants to new assessment rulesThe Department for Work and Pensions is set to introduce new assessment rules affecting all four million claimants. The DWP plans to overhaul the duration of awards, establishing a minimum review period of three years for new claims.Under the revised rules, awards will increase to five years at their next review should the claimant remain eligible, the Labour government has confirmed. The changes are intended to reduce the frequency of reassessments for the overwhelming majority of PIP recipients.DWP data reveals that 60 per cent of reviews currently result in no change to an award. Labour cabinet minister Sir Stephen Timms is seeking to ensure the disability and incapacity benefit is “fair and fit for the future”.Sir Stephen told The Independent newspaper: “Reforming the welfare system so that it better meets the needs of disabled people is a priority for the government.”A major part of this is ensuring that Pip is fit and fair for the future – and we are taking an important step to improve the system through new legislation, which will reduce the frequency of reviews for many existing Pip customers,” reports Birmingham Live.”This will make the system more efficient by freeing up the capacity of health professionals to tackle our inherited assessment backlog, while removing unnecessary pressure from disabled claimants whose conditions rarely change at each review.”We are also increasing face-to-face assessments for Pip from six per cent in 2024 to 30 per cent of all assessments. Additionally, my review is looking into how we can bolster PIP for the future, and we have opened a call for evidence for people to share their views on how Pip should be reformed.”However, Fazilet Hadi, Disability Rights UK’s head of policy, raised concerns and said: “It is of concern that face-to-face reviews will increase, as these can be physically and emotionally challenging.”Harriet Edwards, Director of Influencing at the national disability charity Sense, added: “Sense research found over half of disabled PIP claimants with complex needs felt humiliated during their assessment; clearly this process needs to urgently change.”It’s vital that the Timms Review continues to work with disabled people to make the application process for PIP fairer and less distressing.”