UPCOMING CHANGES TO PIP REVIEWS FROM JUNE 2ND

(I didn’t see anyone else post this so I’ll do so as it will affect everyone in receipt of pip on way or another)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-security-advisory-committee-minutes-of-meetings-in-2026/minutes-of-the-meeting-held-on-4-march

The above explains everything in detail but I’ll summarise below.

The good news first:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dwp-pip-award-review-changes-conditions-list-b2966912.html

So this rule change is actually a little different then reported - the 3yrs for new pip awards and 5yrs for successful pip reviews (from April this year) award lengths is actually 4yrs and 6yrs respectively (the logic being that as the backlog means an assessment/review can take a year plus to complete the dwp often send paperwork a year before the award end date meaning more regular assessments/reviews that there isn’t capacity for) - A review is still likely to start at 3yrs/5yrs but the award length itself will be an additional 12 months on top

The next is good news for some but disastrous for others:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/457/contents/made

This basically states that from June 2nd 2026 - “The Secretary of State may extend the length of a fixed term award of personal independence payment, where the Secretary of State considers it necessary to do so to safeguard the efficient administration of personal independence payment.” - this means that if a claimant has a fixed term pip award that review date is coming up, the decision maker can choose to simply lengthen the award, where “it is necessary to do so to safeguard the efficient administration of personal independence payment.”

now I say this is a good/bad news situation depending on personal circumstance- let me explain:

If you are a current PIP claimant that regular gets underscored in assessments/reviews and has often had to go for MR or tribunal then this could be a major relief (as reviews being potentially deferred in time is a priority over keeping to an original pip review schedule), especially for those who don’t pre plan and take things as they come

However for those who are regularly successful first time in pip reviews (and who’s current award date is within the next 18 months this change could have dire mid to long term consequences.

(Let me explain)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgplx9vzq2o

On paper the above looks like good news (and there is some celebrating on social media……prematurely imo) as there is now next to no chance primary legislation (like last summers uc & pip bill) will be introduced before the next kings speech (likely not for a year plus - but I don’t know if another kings speech gets hastened if there’s a change of leader/PM or if each kings speech has a minimum length of time before the next - more on that later)

However it’s been rumoured for months that after their disastrous first attempt in June 2025 that the government would seek to pass future pip reforms via several smaller secondary legislation that would require less scrutiny (and votes) from parliament and can be enacted much quicker than primary legislation could (because of the backlash last time and past patterns of previous gov’s not to introduce controversial or unpopular policies/changes too close to a general election (as backbenchers priories keeping seats over the party line once an election latest date is around 18-24 months away) logic wise these welfare reforms need to be in law no later than autumn 2027 by my maths) - though unlike primary legislation, secondary legislation can be challenged in court.

So the gov could chose in theory to proceed with rapid forcing through pip reforms via secondary legislation as soon as the Timms review gets reported on in the autumn (worst case being this secondary legislations becoming law as early as autumn 2026)

There has been rumours for months that the gov’s preferred way of reducing the welfare bill is to exclude mental health and neurodivergent conditions from being able to claim pip (as endorsed recently by streetings commission study into the rise of autism/adhd and the recent Tony Blair thinktank publication) and if this came to fruition many existing pip claimants with these conditions could go from high care/mobility awards to nothing.

Hence why pre-existing pip claimants would want their upcoming reviews (if current award ends in next 18 months) to be either concluded or at least officially in progress before any pip reforms come in.

The decision maker new ability to extend a current award by a year (small amount of time) rather than start the review when originally scheduled not only brings continuous uncertainty of when the review envelope actually will arrive but claimants that should of been able to get in one more pip review before any changes are enacted may now find themselves instead to be guinea pigs of any upcoming pip reforms (which could have life changing consequences for some)

I’ve included some screenshots from google ai about whether secondary legislation would be sufficient for the types of pip reforms rumoured in case I missed something