Your Chance to Change PIP: The Government Wants to Hear From You
The Timms Review is asking disabled people to share their experiences and ideas for reforming Personal Independence Payment. This is your opportunity to be heard.
How often do you get a genuine chance to influence a benefit system that affects nearly four million people?
Right now, the government is running the Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and they want to hear from you. Not from policy experts sitting in offices. Not from consultants who've never claimed a benefit. From you. From people who live with the realities of PIP every single day.
This isn't a token gesture. This is a real opportunity to shape the future of a benefit that has a profound impact on people's independence, dignity and quality of life.
You have until 11.59 pm on 28 May to submit your views. Don't let this opportunity pass you by.
What Is the Timms Review?
The Timms Review is examining whether PIP, which supports people with the extra costs of disability, better reflects how conditions impact people in the modern world.
PIP was introduced in 2013. The world has changed significantly since then. The workplace has changed. Society has changed. Our understanding of disability has evolved. Yet the PIP system has largely remained the same.
This review is asking fundamental questions:
- Is PIP delivering on its intended purpose?
- Does the assessment process provide fair access to the right support?
- Does the experience of claiming PIP vary unfairly for different groups?
- How have changes in the workplace and society impacted what PIP needs to do?
"It is vital that disabled people's voices are at the heart of this Review. PIP has a profound impact on people's daily lives, independence, and sense of dignity, so any conversation about its future must begin with those who live with its realities every day."
— Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE, Co-chair of the Review
Why Your Voice Matters
Policy is often made by people who don't live with its consequences. This review is different, it's being co-led by a steering group of 15 people who bring together lived experience and expertise across welfare policy, accessibility, advocacy and leadership within Disabled People's Organisations.
But the steering group can't represent every experience. They need to hear from:
- People currently receiving PIP – What works? What doesn't? How does it impact your daily life?
- People who've been refused PIP – Why were you turned down? Did the assessment reflect your reality?
- People going through reassessments – How does the uncertainty affect you?
- Carers – How does PIP (or lack of it) impact the people you support?
- Young people – How does PIP work (or not work) for your generation?
- People with fluctuating conditions – Does the system account for good days and bad days?
- People with mental health conditions – Is your experience fairly assessed?
- People with invisible disabilities – Are you believed? Is your reality reflected?
Your lived experience is expertise. The government needs to hear it.
The Four Themes: What They're Asking About
The review is structured around four key themes. You don't need to address all of them, focus on what matters most to you.
Theme 1: Role and Purpose of PIP
Is PIP effectively delivering on its intended purpose, to support people with the extra costs of disability? Does it actually cover those costs? Are there gaps in what it provides?
Theme 2: Eligibility, Fairness and Equity
Does the PIP assessment provide fair access to the right support? Are certain groups disadvantaged by how eligibility is determined? Do assessments reflect the reality of living with your condition?
Theme 3: Experience of Claiming PIP
What is the experience of claiming PIP actually like? Does it vary for different groups? Is the process accessible? Dignified? Fair? How does it impact your mental health and wellbeing?
Theme 4: Changing Context and Impact on PIP
How have changes in the workplace and wider society since 2013 impacted PIP? Does the system reflect modern work patterns, assistive technology, societal attitudes, or our evolving understanding of disability?
What You Might Want to Share
You don't need to write an essay. You don't need to be a policy expert. You just need to tell your truth.
Here are some questions to consider as you think about your response:
About the Assessment Process
- Did your assessment reflect the reality of your daily life?
- Were you able to explain how your condition affects you?
- Did the assessor understand fluctuating conditions, invisible disabilities, or mental health challenges?
- Was the process accessible to you?
- How did the assessment affect your mental health?
About the Descriptors and Points System
- Do the PIP descriptors capture the reality of your condition?
- Are there aspects of your disability that aren't covered by current descriptors?
- Does the points system make sense for how your condition affects you?
- Do the thresholds for standard and enhanced rate reflect real-world impact?
About Your Experience
- How long did it take to get a decision?
- Have you had to appeal? What was that like?
- How often are you reassessed? How does that uncertainty affect you?
- Does PIP actually cover the extra costs of your disability?
- How has PIP (or lack of it) impacted your independence, dignity, or quality of life?
About Fairness
- Do you feel the system treats everyone fairly?
- Are certain conditions or groups disadvantaged?
- Does the system account for intersectionality, how multiple identities or conditions interact?
- Is the process accessible for people with different communication needs?
About Modern Life
- Does PIP reflect modern work patterns (remote work, flexible hours, gig economy)?
- Does it account for assistive technology and how it changes what you can do?
- Has society's understanding of disability changed in ways the system hasn't kept up with?
- What do you wish policymakers understood about living with disability in 2026?
How to Have Your Say
There are multiple ways to submit your views, designed to be as accessible as possible.
Online Form
The quickest way to respond is through the online form. You can find it at:
Alternative Formats
If you need the Call for Evidence in an alternative format, you can request:
- Web accessible PDF
- Large print
- British Sign Language (BSL)
- Audio format
- Easy read
Contact: timmsreview.callforevidence@dwp.gov.uk
Who Can Respond
Anyone can respond. The review particularly encourages submissions from:
- Disabled people of all ages
- Organisations that represent disabled people
- Carers
- Clinicians and health professionals
- Welfare and policy experts
- MPs and elected officials
The Call for Evidence closes at 11.59 pm on 28 May 2026. Set a reminder. Make the time. This matters.
Why You Should Respond? Even If You Think It Won't Make a Difference
We know. You've been let down before. You've filled in forms that seemed to disappear into the void. You've shared your story only to feel unheard.
But this review is different in important ways:
The steering group includes disabled people. This isn't a review being done to disabled people, it's being led with them.
There's a commitment to co-production. The review has explicitly stated that disabled people's voices must be at the heart of the process.
The government has acknowledged PIP needs reform. This isn't about defending the status quo, it's about genuine improvement.
Your silence guarantees nothing changes. Your voice might not guarantee change either, but it's the only chance you have to influence it.
What Happens Next?
The Call for Evidence is just the first step. The steering group will use the evidence to shape recommendations, which will be published in autumn 2026.
This engagement will continue beyond the Call for Evidence, with additional ways to get involved being announced as the review progresses.
Your contribution now helps shape what comes next.
Tips for Making Your Voice Heard
Be Honest
Don't sugar-coat your experience. If the process was degrading, say so. If assessments felt like interrogations, explain that. If you felt disbelieved, share how that affected you. Honest feedback is valuable feedback.
Be Specific
General statements like "the system is broken" are less powerful than specific examples. Describe actual experiences. Quote things assessors said. Explain what happened and how it made you feel.
You Don't Need to Cover Everything
Focus on what you know best, your own experience. You don't need to have opinions on every theme or question. Depth matters more than breadth.
It's Okay to Be Emotional
This is about your life, your dignity, your independence. If you're angry, frustrated, or hurt by how the system has treated you, that's valid. Emotion isn't unprofessional, it's human.
Get Support If You Need It
If writing your response feels overwhelming, ask for help. A friend, family member, support worker, or advocacy organisation can help you get your thoughts down.
Keep a Copy
Save a copy of what you submit. You might want to reference it later, or share it with your MP or advocacy groups.
This Is Your Moment
Nearly four million people are affected by PIP. The government is asking how it should work. This doesn't happen often.
You have until 28 May 2026 to make your voice heard. Whether you write two paragraphs or two pages, whether you focus on one theme or all four, whether your experience was positive or devastating, share it.
Don't let this opportunity pass in silence.
What We Hope to See
We hope this review leads to a PIP system that:
- Reflects the reality of living with disability in 2026 – Not the assumptions of 2013
- Treats people with dignity – No more assessments that feel like interrogations
- Accounts for fluctuating conditions – Because disability isn't static
- Recognises invisible disabilities – Without requiring people to "prove" they're disabled enough
- Provides adequate support – Because the extra costs of disability are real and significant
- Works for everyone – Regardless of age, condition, or background
- Doesn't cause harm – Because a benefit system shouldn't damage your mental health
But what the review ultimately recommends depends on what people say. And what people say depends on whether people like you take the time to respond.
"It is essential for the success of this review that we hear frank and honest views from as many disabled people, carers, advocates and others as wish to participate."
— Sharon Brennan, Co-chair of the Review
They want to hear from you. Make sure they do.
Ready to Respond?
Online form: Use the link above or search for "Timms Review Call for Evidence"
Alternative formats: Email timmsreview.callforevidence@dwp.gov.uk
Deadline: 11.59 pm, 28 May 2026
Your voice. Your experience. Your chance to influence the future of PIP.