DWP Won’t Rule Out PIP Cuts as Timms Review Moves Fast Amid Funding Pressures

• Nov, 16 2025
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The Department for Work and Pensions has made it clear: PIP spending cuts are still on the table. Despite misleading reports circulating in right-wing media during the week of November 4, 2025, claiming ministers had ruled out reductions, the DWP quietly confirmed it’s operating under financial constraints laid out by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The revelation came as the Timms Review — a high-stakes, accelerated assessment of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system — entered its final sprint. With just 55 days to deliver recommendations, the clock is ticking, and disabled communities are bracing for impact.

What the Timms Review Really Says

The updated terms of reference, revised just before Parliament’s July 1, 2025 vote, contain two quietly explosive lines. First: “The Review will operate within the OBR’s projections for future PIP expenditure, to ensure it is there to support generations to come.” Second: “We want to ensure public money is spent as effectively as possible in supporting disabled people to live independent and fulfilling lives.” Neither sentence says “cut.” But neither says “protect” either. And when pressed by reporters on November 4, 2025, a DWP spokesperson refused to clarify whether either line implied reduced funding. Instead, they pivoted to the language of reform: “We’re shifting our focus from welfare to work, skills and opportunities.”

This isn’t just semantics. It’s a philosophical shift. For over a decade, PIP has been a lifeline — tax-free, unaffected by income or savings, paid every four weeks to 2.7 million people in the UK as of July 2025. The system replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in April 2013, and since then, 9.0 million claims have been registered. But the financial weight is growing. The OBR projects PIP spending will hit £18.6 billion by 2027-28, up from £14.2 billion in 2020. That’s a 31% increase in just seven years. The government says it can’t afford to keep growing at that pace.

The Clock Is Ticking — And So Is the Pressure

The Timms Review is being co-chaired by Sir Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, alongside two disabled advocates: Dr Clenton Farquharson and Sharon Brennan. Their mandate? Review eligibility, payment structures, and long-term sustainability — all while working within OBR forecasts. What’s startling isn’t just the tight deadline — it’s the lack of transparency. Steering group members aren’t gagged, but they’re expected to keep discussions confidential. No public hearings. No draft reports. Just a final recommendation due by the end of 2026.

That’s a problem. Disabled people’s organizations, including Citizens Advice in London, say the review’s pace undermines meaningful consultation. “You can’t fix a system that supports millions of vulnerable people in 55 days,” said one senior adviser, speaking anonymously. “This isn’t a review — it’s a prelude to cuts disguised as efficiency.”

Who’s Already Being Affected?

The data tells a story of a system under strain. Between August 2020 and July 2025, Planned Award Reviews resulted in 17% of awards being increased, 59% maintained, 6% decreased, and 17% disallowed. That’s over 400,000 people losing support after reassessment — many of them with chronic, unchanging conditions. Change of Circumstance reviews were slightly more generous: 45% increased, 42% maintained. But even those figures mask a deeper issue: the average claim processing time is still 20 weeks. People are waiting five months for money they’re legally entitled to.

Current PIP rates for 2025/26 are £73.90 (standard) and £110.40 (enhanced) for daily living, and £29.20 (standard) and £77.05 (enhanced) for mobility. For many, that’s not just income — it’s the difference between heating their home and staying warm, between hiring a carer and staying in their own house. One woman in Manchester, who asked not to be named, said her £110.40 weekly enhanced rate pays for her personal assistant. “If they cut that, I can’t work. I can’t leave my house. That’s not a policy decision — that’s a life sentence.”

What Happens Next?

The government insists no changes will take effect until the review is published — expected by December 2026. That means existing claimants are protected… for now. But the real target is new applicants. The original November 2026 eligibility reforms — which would have narrowed access to only those with the most severe needs — were paused pending the Timms Review. Now, those reforms could be revived, accelerated, or made even harsher. The DWP won’t say. And that silence is deafening.

Meanwhile, the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland continues administering PIP separately, while the DWP handles England, Scotland, and Wales. The fragmentation adds complexity — and confusion. Disabled people in Belfast face the same rates as those in Cardiff, but different guidance, different appeal timelines, and now, different uncertainty.

Why This Matters Beyond the Numbers

This isn’t just about money. It’s about dignity. PIP was designed to recognize the extra costs of living with a disability — not to judge how “deserving” someone is. The OBR’s projections are based on economic models, not human stories. But the people behind those numbers? They’re teachers, nurses, parents, veterans, students. They’re not “welfare cases.” They’re people who need help to live.

The DWP says it wants a “fair and fit” system. But fairness doesn’t mean cutting support to balance a spreadsheet. It means ensuring those who need help get it — quickly, reliably, without fear. If the Timms Review concludes that PIP must shrink to survive, the real question won’t be whether the math adds up. It’ll be whether the UK still believes in caring for its most vulnerable.