Disabled people will be placed at the centre of the UK’s first ever comprehensive review of Personal Independence Payment, following the appointment of twelve steering group members with lived experience of disability and long-term health conditions.
The newly appointed steering group brings together people with direct experience of navigating the benefits system alongside those who work within Disabled People’s Organisations, ensuring the review is shaped by real lives rather than abstract policy. Their collective expertise spans welfare reform, accessibility, advocacy, co-production, governance and leadership, reflecting the diverse realities of disabled people across the country.
The group will provide strategic direction for the Timms Review and help shape its priorities and work plan, working alongside the review’s three co-chairs: Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. Together, they will examine how PIP supports disabled people to live independently, whether assessment criteria reflect modern realities, and how the process can better connect people to the right support across the wider benefits system.
The review is expected to report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026, with an interim update planned ahead of the final recommendations. For many disabled people in the UK, including migrants and diaspora families who rely on PIP to manage daily living and mobility needs, the review represents a rare opportunity to influence a system that has long been criticised for being stressful, inconsistent and disconnected from lived experience.
Sir Stephen Timms said disabled people deserve a system that supports independence and dignity and accurately reflects the realities of their lives today. He stressed that putting disabled voices at the heart of the review is essential to delivering meaningful change that improves health outcomes, independence and access to support when it is needed most.
Co-chair Sharon Brennan said the composition of the steering group reflects a commitment to co-production, with members drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, protected characteristics, professions and regions. She also acknowledged that no single group can represent every disabled person, which is why the review will be supported by broader engagement to capture many more voices throughout the process.
Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE said PIP plays a vital role in enabling disabled people to live independent lives, adding that the review will test whether the system is fair and ensure it reflects the realities of disability in the modern world.
The steering group includes Dr Mark Brookes MBE of Dimensions UK, disability rights advocate George Fielding, Tara Flood from the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Mark Fosbrook of the West Midlands Combined Authority, Professor Ben Geiger of King’s College London, UNISON disability equality officer Katrina Gilman, Jean-André Prager of Policy Exchange and Flint Global, Dr Lucy Reynolds of Disability North and We Are All Disabled CIC, Dr Felix Shi of Bangor University, Dr Dharshana Sridhar from the Spinal Injuries Association, Phil Stevens of Disability Action Haringey and Islington, and Leila Talmadge, founder of Autistic Knowledge Development CIC.
The review aims to ensure PIP is fair, sustainable and fit for the future, taking account of changes in society and the shifting nature of disability since the benefit was introduced in 2013. While more people are living with long-term health conditions, the growth in PIP claims has significantly outpaced the rise in disability prevalence among working-age adults.
In 2019, around two million working-age people were receiving PIP. That figure increased by 50 percent within five years and is projected to rise to more than four million by the end of the decade. For many families, including those within the African, Caribbean and wider diaspora communities, PIP can be the difference between independence and hardship.
At Chijos News, we continue to follow how welfare reforms affect real lives, particularly for disabled people navigating the UK system while also facing migration pressures, employment barriers and cultural stigma. This review signals a shift towards listening, but its success will ultimately be judged by whether disabled people feel genuinely supported, respected and understood.
