Timms Review on PIP - Interim Report (Links Included)

I think this is just a repeat of ESA. An impression of a listening government, but the reality is that welfare reform is a cost control programme.

It seems fairly easy to predict.
Those with the most extreme levels of need will get a increase of payment, this gets some people onside and gives the impression of increased support.
Many people will lose eligibility, via a reduction of eligibility criteria.
In turn it will be overall less support, but masked as extra support, because some will get higher payments, exactly what happened on ESA.

There is a number of very concerning statements in the document.

111. The group is exploring whether the activities and descriptors focus
too heavily on what people cannot do, whether the assessment is too
subjective, and whether there is a disconnect between what is assessed
and the support people need. The group heard from responses to its call
for evidence that disabled people find PIP to be unfair and inconsistent.

Those of us who remember, this is the exact same thing they were saying when they changed the PCA to WCA. It tries to downplay the things people cannot do as less important.

It also mentions, there is people who think PIP is unfair, this is always going to be the case with government support programs, if you dont meet the targeted criteria, then it must mean it is unfair. This is likely going to be used to justify eligibility cuts, so those who have resentment will feel better that people they jealous of will lose access to PIP.

It of course mentions there is people who think PIP doesnt provide enough money, if anything they should lower the money and use it to protect current eligibility criteria, its always better to target more people with less, than less people with more, but we try to go the opposite way. It is very likely I feel there will be a token increase on top level support. But that wont sit well with me when its done alongside eligibility cuts.

I would be surprised at this point if the mobility criteria is not made a duplicate of the WCA, which will become a mobility with aids only assessment where they can pretend you have a wheelchair, as this is going to replace the WCA.

The idea of replacing the WCA was originally announced by the previous government meaning, the source of the idea is likely someone outside of both parties with enough influence to get two governments to adopt it.
It talks about the changing workplace, but all companies I know off are now bringing back into offices, the vast majority of WFH is only recruited internally and as mentioned before the last election was less than 1000 vacancies across the entire UK of which were not spread about but focused in specific areas, in effect there is no working from home jobs for unskilled en masse, but its been used to justify policy changes.

The only real question at this point, is who are the victims going to be that lose support.

I just want to add my negative post is just "thoughts" nothing factual as they havent announced recommendations yet, so please dont anyone have fear from it.

If you're on Universal Credit you are getting Class 3 National Insurance Credits because of that.

You can check your current pension forecast online if you have a government gateway or one.gov account here:

Check your State Pension forecast - GOV.UK