Nearly 900,000 people have had their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) stopped or reduced, according to the latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Data reveals that 628,000 claims have been stopped, while 264,000 claimants have seen their payments reduced following reviews over the past eight years.
The DWP reviews all PIP claims after a set period or when claimants report changes in their circumstances. Reviews can result in payments being stopped, reduced, increased, or kept the same.
In October 2024 alone, over 5,250 people had their PIP stopped, and 1,796 had their payments reduced, reports Birmingham Live.
Critics have raised concerns about the reassessment process, describing it as “dehumanising” and “distressing.” Campaigners are calling for reforms, arguing that continued entitlement to PIP should be determined by medical need, not cost-saving measures.
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disabilities, defended the review system, stating, “It is, of course, important that we keep awards under review because sometimes they go up as well as down, and we want to ensure that the support being provided is appropriate for the claimant.”
However, he acknowledged the need to improve the application and assessment process.
Proposed changes to the system are expected to be announced in spring 2025. Potential reforms include adjustments to eligibility criteria and introducing tiered payments to better target support for those with long-term or severe conditions.
The Prime Minister’s spokesperson said: “We have seen a situation this Government inherited on inactivity, we have seen the situation on the spiralling benefits bill with millions of people on long-term illness or disability out of work and not getting the support that they need, and that is why we are determined to fix this.
“Building on our Get Britain Working White Paper, we will be publishing a consultation in the spring on measures to ensure the system is better-supporting people, including young people, to get them into work and keep them in work.
“The Government’s approach is going to be to tackle the root causes of this issue, but it is a massive challenge, it has built up over years.”
