Is PIP Being Scrapped? | Latest Changes And Updates For 2026

Last Updated On 10.10.2026

What changed this month: PIP has not been scrapped and its current eligibility rules remain in place. However, fresh debate around means-testing, stricter welfare conditions and possible changes for younger Universal Credit claimants has increased uncertainty ahead of the final Timms Review recommendations.

No, PIP is not being scrapped under the rules currently in force in 2026. Personal Independence Payment remains available to eligible claimants, and existing awards continue unless an individual claim is changed following a review or another formal decision.

The important distinction is between what applies now and what is being considered for the future. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signalled a tougher approach to parts of the welfare system, the Timms Review is considering major PIP reform, independent policy analysis has examined means-testing, and opposition parties have proposed their own changes.

None of those developments means PIP has been abolished.

What Is the Latest PIP Update for October 2026?

The immediate position for PIP claimants has not changed. People who meet the existing eligibility conditions can still claim PIP in England and Wales, existing awards continue, and PIP remains a non-means-tested cash benefit.

However, several developments are now influencing the debate:

• Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said welfare reform may involve stronger conditions for some people receiving support
• The Timms Review is preparing its final recommendations after concluding that the existing PIP system is no longer fit for purpose
• A September 2026 fiscal analysis examined whether PIP could be incorporated into Universal Credit and means-tested
• Ministers are considering changes to health-related Universal Credit support for people under 25
• Opposition parties have proposed separate restrictions or replacements for parts of the existing disability-benefit system

These are different proposals and should not be treated as one confirmed PIP policy.

Is PIP Actually Being Scrapped?

No legislation currently abolishes PIP.

PIP continues to provide financial support towards the additional costs associated with long-term health conditions and disabilities. Entitlement is based primarily on how a person’s condition affects daily living and mobility rather than simply on the diagnosis itself.

There is also no general instruction cancelling existing PIP awards.

Anyone worried because a payment has unexpectedly disappeared should distinguish welfare-reform headlines from an individual claim decision.

There are several reasons payments can be delayed, suspended or ended, and the steps to take are explained in more detail in this information on what happens when PIP appears to stop without notification.

What Has Andy Burnham Said About PIP And Benefits?

Andy Burnham became Prime Minister in July 2026 and has since signalled that welfare reform will remain a government priority.

His wider approach has focused on combining employment opportunities and support with stronger expectations for some people receiving benefits.

He has suggested that some support could become conditional on people taking up appropriate opportunities offered to them, while also arguing that people with health conditions should receive better employment and mental-health support.

That does not amount to an announcement that PIP will be scrapped.

PIP is particularly important to distinguish from unemployment-related benefits because people can receive PIP while working. It is designed around disability-related needs rather than whether someone is employed.

The government is therefore waiting for the wider disability-benefit review process before deciding how the PIP system itself should be reformed.

Could PIP Become Means-Tested?

PIP is not means-tested in October 2026. A claimant’s income or savings do not normally reduce their PIP, and eligible people can receive it while working.

However, a major policy proposal published in September examined what would happen if PIP were integrated into Universal Credit and therefore targeted more heavily according to household financial circumstances.

The analysis estimated an initial saving of up to £8.2 billion a year, equivalent to roughly one-third of PIP expenditure under the model. It also warned that the actual saving would probably be lower because behaviour could change.

For example, more people might claim Universal Credit to preserve access to support, while stronger means-testing could also weaken some financial incentives to work.

Separate options affecting younger claimants were estimated to produce savings of up to £5.5 billion under the widest restriction, or around £2.2 billion if support continued for young people with the most severe disabilities.

These are policy scenarios rather than government decisions.

Crucially, the Timms Review’s emerging principles state that a future disability benefit should remain non-means-tested and that cash should remain the foundation of support.

Is The Universal Credit Health Element Being Scrapped For Under-25s?

Recent reports about benefits being removed from people under 25 have caused particular confusion.

The main proposal being discussed concerns the health element of Universal Credit, not the automatic abolition of PIP for everyone under 25.

Around 184,000 people aged 16 to 24 receive the relevant Universal Credit health support.

One option being considered would remove or substantially redesign that support for younger claimants and replace it with a larger programme focused on employment, training, mental-health assistance, job coaching and other support.

No final policy has yet established that all under-25s will lose PIP.

Universal Credit health support and PIP are separate systems. Someone wanting to understand the distinction can also read about how health-related Universal Credit payments such as LCWRA work.

What Did The Timms Review Interim Report Find?

The Timms Review concluded that the existing PIP system is no longer fit for purpose and needs significant reform.

More than 38,000 responses were received during its evidence-gathering process.

The findings showed particularly strong dissatisfaction with the process of applying for and receiving PIP. More than 90% of responses discussing the claims process were negative.

Concerns included:

• Complicated Application Forms
• Stressful Assessments
• Repeated Requests For Evidence
• Difficulty Reflecting Fluctuating Conditions
• Problems With Decision-Making
• Administrative Burden
• Difficulty Accessing Suitable Support

The wider context has also changed significantly since PIP was introduced.

Around 10 million working-age people, approximately 24% of the working-age population, now report having a disability. That compares with less than 17% around 2013/14.

The review nevertheless found that PIP itself remains highly valued by many people because it helps meet additional disability-related costs and supports independent living.

What Changes Is The Timms Review Considering?

The emerging recommendations do not simply propose removing PIP.

Possible reforms include:

• Fewer unnecessary reviews for people with lifelong or degenerative conditions
• Better recognition of fluctuating conditions
• Improved PIP application forms and guidance
• Greater use of existing supporting evidence
• More suitable assessment methods according to individual circumstances
• Stronger advocacy services
• Improved communication from decision-makers
• An online PIP portal with offline alternatives
• More personalised support for people who struggle with the claims process
• Better learning from Mandatory Reconsiderations and appeals

Different assessment pathways could also allow straightforward cases with strong supporting evidence to move through the process differently from cases needing detailed assessment.

These recommendations remain under development.

Existing claimants going through an award review should therefore continue following the current process. Waiting times can vary considerably depending on evidence and whether another assessment is required, as explained in this breakdown of how long a PIP review decision can take.

What Do The Conservatives Want To Do With PIP?

The Conservatives have proposed a different approach.

Their welfare policy includes reassessing PIP claims involving lower-level anxiety, depression and ADHD, with an emphasis on determining whether existing awards remain appropriate.

They have also supported greater use of face-to-face assessment and tighter welfare conditions.

These are opposition proposals rather than changes currently applying to claimants.

What Is Reform UK Proposing For PIP?

Reform UK has proposed more fundamental restructuring of working-age disability and sickness benefits. Its proposals have included replacing or substantially reforming the existing PIP system alongside changes to health-related Universal Credit support.

A proposed Health Security Allowance would focus cash support more heavily on people considered to have severe and enduring disabilities.

The party has also proposed reassessing existing claimants over several years and changing the assessment system.

Again, these proposals do not change current PIP entitlement because Reform UK is not implementing government policy.

Why Is PIP Under Pressure?

A major reason disability benefits remain politically sensitive is the growth in both claimant numbers and expenditure.

Measure	Latest Position
PIP Claimants In England And Wales	About 4.1 million
Working-Age Claimants	About 3.4 million
State Pension-Age Claimants	About 690,000
Receiving Highest PIP Award	37%
Entitled For Five Years Or Longer	About 1.9 million
Claims Recorded Under Psychiatric Disorders	Around 39%
Forecast Total PIP Spending By 2030/31	More than £41 billion

Psychiatric disorders are now the largest recorded disability category among normal-rules PIP claims, representing roughly 39% of cases, or around 1.6 million claims.

Rising numbers do not by themselves establish that claims are inappropriate. The number of people reporting disabilities and long-term health conditions has also increased substantially.

This combination of higher need, increasing claimant numbers and rapidly rising expenditure explains why governments are under pressure to make the system financially sustainable without removing essential support from people who need it.

What Happened To The Previous PIP Cuts?

Some current confusion comes from reforms proposed under the previous government. One controversial measure would have required claimants to score at least four points in a single daily-living activity to qualify for the daily-living component of PIP.

That proposal faced substantial political opposition and was ultimately removed from the legislation. Further decisions about PIP eligibility were instead pushed into the wider review process.

Therefore, older reports suggesting that the four-point requirement automatically applies to PIP claims in 2026 are outdated.

How Does PIP Work Right Now In 2026?

PIP has two components:

PIP Component	Standard Weekly Rate	Enhanced Weekly Rate
Daily Living	£76.70	£114.60
Mobility	£30.30	£80.00

A claimant may receive one or both components depending on how their condition affects them.

PIP is generally:

• Paid Every Four Weeks
• Tax-Free
• Available To Eligible People Who Work
• Not Based On Household Income
• Not Reduced Simply Because Someone Has Savings

Since April 2026, changes have also been made to typical award periods. Many new awards for people aged 25 or over are now made for four years with review after three years, while successful subsequent reviews will generally result in longer award periods.

Individual awards can still differ.

Are PIP Rules Different In Scotland And Northern Ireland?

Yes.

In England and Wales, PIP remains administered through the existing system. Scotland has replaced PIP with Adult Disability Payment, and transfers of existing Scottish PIP claimants were completed in 2025.

Northern Ireland continues to operate PIP through its separate social security arrangements. Future announcements should therefore be checked carefully because a UK political proposal does not necessarily produce identical changes across all four nations.

What Should PIP Claimants Do Now?

For most claimants, there is no reason to cancel or stop a claim because of speculation about future reform.

Continue to:

• Return Review Forms By The Deadline
• Attend Assessments When Required
• Provide Relevant Supporting Evidence
• Report Relevant Changes In Circumstances
• Keep Copies Of Forms And Decision Letters
• Check Formal Decisions Before Assuming An Award Has Changed
• Distinguish Confirmed Rules From Political Proposals

Any future reform would require government decisions and, depending on the proposal, potentially legislation, regulations or administrative changes before it affects individual entitlement.

What Happens Next For PIP?

The next major milestone is the final Timms Review report, expected during autumn 2026. The government will then decide which recommendations, if any, should become policy. That means the debate over PIP is far from finished, but debate about reform is not the same as abolition.

Conclusion

So, is PIP being scrapped in 2026? No.

PIP remains available under current rules, existing claims continue and the benefit remains non-means-tested.

What has changed is the political pressure surrounding its future.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signalled wider welfare reform, possible changes to health-related Universal Credit support for under-25s are being considered, independent analysis has explored means-testing, and opposition parties have proposed their own alternatives.

At the same time, the Timms Review is examining ways to fundamentally improve PIP while retaining cash support and, under its current principles, keeping the benefit non-means-tested.

Claimants should therefore focus on rules that have actually taken effect rather than assuming that every proposal or headline represents an immediate change to their award.

FAQs

Will Andy Burnham Scrap PIP?

No decision has been announced to abolish PIP. Burnham supports welfare reform and stronger expectations in parts of the benefits system, but the government is awaiting wider recommendations on PIP reform.

Is PIP Going To Be Means-Tested For New Claimants?

No. PIP remains non-means-tested. Means-testing has been examined as a policy option, but it has not become government policy.

Is PIP Being Scrapped For Under-25s?

No confirmed rule scraps PIP for everyone under 25. Current discussions have focused mainly on potentially restructuring the Universal Credit health element and employment support available to younger people.

Will Existing PIP Claimants Be Reassessed Because Of The Means-Testing Proposal?

No. An independent proposal does not trigger reassessment of existing PIP awards. Claimants remain subject to the current DWP review and eligibility rules.

How Many People Claim PIP?

Around 4.1 million people had PIP entitlement in England and Wales at the end of July 2026. Around 3.4 million were working age and approximately 690,000 were State Pension age.

How Much Is PIP Forecast To Cost?

Total PIP spending is forecast to rise above £41 billion by the 2030/31 financial year if current spending trends continue.

Will PIP Still Be Paid In Cash?

Yes. PIP remains a cash benefit. The emerging principles for future reform also support retaining cash as the foundation of disability support.

Will People With Lifelong Conditions Still Have PIP Reviews?

Current review rules continue to apply. However, one proposed reform would reduce unnecessary reviews where someone has a lifelong or degenerative condition that is not expected to improve.

When Will The Final PIP Review Be Published?

The final Timms Review recommendations are expected in autumn 2026. The government would then need to decide which recommendations should be taken forward.