Changes to PIP and Universal Credit are due to come into force next year.
Watch in full: Liz Kendall announces welfare reforms
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall has rejected claims that proposed changes to disability benefits will result in cuts for 3.2 million families. Liberal Democrat work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling pressed the UK Government on the “economic impact” of its changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
He explained to MPs on Monday that under proposed changes to PIP from November 2026, more than 3,000 people in his constituency are set to “lose the lifeline that is PIP”.
The Torbay MP added: “When one looks at other elements of the Green Paper across the country, 3.2 million families are set to lose out under this Green Paper, often those that benefit are from the most deprived communities in the United Kingdom.”
READ MORE: DWP confirms PIP assessment review starts this week as part of welfare reformsREAD MORE: DWP confirms exact dates PIP and Universal Credit changes will start next year
Ms Kendall replied: “The figures that he has are the number of people right now who may have less than four points on PIP, but I would say to him, these changes are not coming in overnight, they wouldn’t be implemented until November next year. And many people’s health conditions change, so it is not right to say that those are the exact numbers who would lose out.”
Conservative MP Sir Roger Gale (Herne Bay and Sandwich) said many people have disabilities which are not always “apparent”, adding: “Will the minister assure me that she will take the utmost care and sensitivity before taking any further decisions?”
Ms Kendall replied: “I can absolutely assure (Sir Roger) that we will make these changes carefully.”
Last week, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) indicated that the planned reforms to PIP will provide crucial financial support for two groups of claimants.
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, said PIP will focus on “those with the greatest needs, who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them”.
However, he added that following the eligibility rule change next November – where someone must score four points in at least one of the 10 daily living activities to qualify for PIP – “people with lower needs” are set to lose monthly payments of either £295.60 or £441.60.
The DWP Minister’s comments came in a written response to Labour MP Noah Law, who asked if the Department would “make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing people who accumulate points across multiple Personal Independence Payment activities, but do not score four points in any single activity, to retain their entitlement”.
Sir Stephen responded: “PIP is an important, non-means tested benefit for disabled people and people with health conditions – regardless of whether they are in or out of work.
“However, the rate of increases in claims and expenditure is not sustainable and has outstripped the growth in disability prevalence. Changes are needed that will control the spend on the welfare bill, while continuing to support those people with higher needs relating to their long-term health condition or disability.”
He continued: “In our Pathways to Work Green Paper we announced that we will introduce a new eligibility requirement to ensure that only those who score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity will be eligible for the daily living component of PIP. This requirement will need to be met in addition to the existing PIP eligibility criteria.
“This will focus PIP more on those with the greatest needs, who are unable to complete activities at all, or who require more help from others to complete them. This means that people who have lower needs only in the daily living activities (scoring three or less for each activity) will no longer be eligible for the daily living component of PIP.”
Sir Stephen added: “Our intention is that this change will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.”
The DWP estimates that proposed eligibility rule changes to the daily living component of PIP will result in 370,000 existing claimants losing their entitlement when their award is reviewed during the 2029/30 financial year.
The impact assessment, published in March, also estimates that 430,000 future PIP claimants will not qualify for the disability benefit once the reforms come into force, with an average loss of £4,500 each year.
The DWP has now conducted analysis of PIP claimants who did not score four points in at least one daily living activity in 18 of the most common disabling conditions. These conditions have been chosen as they make up the highest proportions of PIP caseloads.
DWP analysis of current daily living awards
DWP notes on the analysis state that the health condition category is based on primary health condition as recorded on the PIP Computer System at time of latest assessment. Many claimants have multiple health conditions but only primary condition is available for analysis.
The list below shows PIP health conditions, the number of comments in receipt of PIP daily living component and the number of claimants awarded less than four points in all daily living activities at the end of January 2025.
- Back Pain – 194,000 claimants, 154,000 (79%) scored less than 4 points
- Arthritis – 279,000 claimants, 13,000 (6%) scored less than 4 points
- Other Regional Musculoskeletal Diseases – 136,000 claimants, 97,000 (71%) scored less than 4 points
- Chronic Pain Syndromes – 173,00 claimants, 97,000 (71%) scored less than 4 points
- Cardiovascular Diseases – 61,000 claimants, 38,000 (62%) scored less than 4 points
- Respiratory Diseases – 83,000 claimants, 45,000 (55%) scored less than 4 points
- Multiple Sclerosis and Neuropathic Diseases – 80,000 claimants, 38,000 (48%) scored less than 4 points
- All Other Conditions – 272,000 claimants, 126,000 (46%) scored less than 4 points
- Other Neurological Diseases – 97,000 claimants,35,000 (36%) scored less than 4 points
- Cerebrovascular Diseases – 56,000 claimants, 19,000 (34%) scored less than 4 points
- Cancer – 70,000 claimants, 23,000 (33%) scored less than 4 points
- Epilepsy – 36,000 claimants, 11,000 (30%) scored less than 4 points
- Other Psychiatric Disorders – 90,000 claimants, 25,000 (28%) scored less than 4 points
- Cerebral Palsy and Neurological Muscular Diseases – 47,000 claimants, 11,000 (24%) scored less than 4 points
- Psychotic Disorders – 112,000 claimants, 26,000 (23%) scored less than 4 points
- ADHD / ADD – 75,000 claimants, 14,000 (19%) scored less than 4 points
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders – 206,000 claimants, 13,000 (6%) scored less than 4 points
- Learning Disabilities – 188,000claimants, 7,000 (3%) scored less than 4 points
Other disabling condition groups which cover smaller proportions of the PIP caseload are covered in the ‘Other Conditions’ category.
This includes:
- Visual Diseases
- Other General Musculoskeletal Diseases
- Endocrine Diseases
- Hearing Disorders
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Genitourinary Diseases
- Skin Diseases
- Autoimmune Diseases (Connective Tissue Disorders)
- Infectious Diseases
- Diseases of the Liver, Gallbladder or Biliary Tract
- Haematological Diseases
- Metabolic Diseases
- Multisystem and Extremes of Age
- Diseases of the Immune System
Anxiety and Depression
- Anxiety disorders – Other / type not known
- Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Stress reaction disorders – Other / type not known
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Phobia – Specific
- Phobia – Social
- Agoraphobia
- Panic disorder
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Anxiety and depressive disorders – mixed
- Conversion disorder (hysteria)
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- Dissociative disorders – Other / type not known
- Somatoform disorders – Other / type not known
- Depressive disorder
- Bipolar affective disorder (Hypomania / Mania)
- Mood disorders – Other / type not known
Daily living component for PIP
You might get the daily living component of PIP if you need help with:
- eating, drinking or preparing food
- washing, bathing, using the toilet, managing incontinence
- dressing and undressing
- talking, listening, reading and understanding
- managing your medicines or treatments
- making decisions about money
- mixing with other people
How difficulty with tasks is assessed
The DWP will assess how difficult you find daily living and mobility tasks.
For each task, the DWP will look at:
- whether you can do it safely
- how long it takes you
- how often your condition affects this activity
- whether you need help to do it, from a person or using extra equipment
The descriptors
Your ability to carry out each activity is measured against a list of standard statements describing what you can or cannot do.
These are known as the descriptors. The health professional will advise the DWP which descriptor applies to you for each activity.
The Citizen’s Advice website has a whole section dedicated to this along with a downloadable guide to all the points awarded for each response – you can view this here. An example they use is there are six descriptors for ‘Dressing and undressing’, ranging from ‘Can dress and undress unaided’ to ‘Cannot dress or undress at all’.
Each descriptor carries a points score ranging from 0 to 12.
Using aids or appliances
Your ability to carry out the daily living activities and the mobility activities will be assessed as if you were wearing or using any aids or appliances it would be reasonable for you to use.
This applies whether or not you normally use those aids or appliances. However, if you use or need aids and appliances, this can help you to score more points – find out more here.
Citizens Advice explains: “An aid is any item which improves, provides or replaces impaired physical or mental function. It doesn’t have to be specially designed as a disability aid. Examples include a stool you need to sit on when cooking, or a walking stick to help you stand.”
Daily living scores
Citizens Advice explains to get the daily living component of PIP, you must have a physical or mental condition that limits your ability to carry out some or all of the activities below.
The maximum amount of PIP points that can be awarded for that question are shown.
Daily living activity:
- Preparing food – 8
- Taking medication – 10
- Managing therapy or monitoring a health condition – 8
- Washing and bathing – 8
- Managing toilet needs or incontinence – 8
- Dressing and undressing – 8
- Communicating verbally – 12
- Reading and understanding symbols and words – 8
- Engaging with other people face to face – 8
- Making budgeting decisions – 6
Points and payment rates
After answering all the daily living activity questions:
- If you get between 8 and 11 points in total – you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP
- If you get at least 12 points in total – you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP
After answering all the mobility activity questions:
- If you get between 8 and 11 points in total – you will be awarded the standard rate of PIP
- If you get at least 12 points in total – you will be awarded the enhanced rate of PIP
The latest DWP figures show that at the end of January there were 3.7 million PIP claimants across Great Britain.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously said more than 1,000 PIP claims are being awarded per day, making the argument for welfare reforms to ensure the system is sustainable for the future.
The proposed changes will come into force in November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval.
Reforms also include increasing the number of face-to-face assessments. At present, most are being conducted remotely over the phone, by video call, or paper-based.
However, there will be no freeze on PIP payments, which will continue to be non-means-tested, and rise in-line with the September inflation rate. There will be no changes to the mobility component.
You can complete the UK Government’s consultation on proposed changes to PIP and the benefits system on GOV.UK here. The consultation closes on June 30, 2025.
