Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) minister Pat McFadden has signaled that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) could be stripped from people with ADHD and autism following the Timms Review. The review, which is expected to file its interim report this week before Parliament recess, is examining how to make PIP fit for the future.
McFadden Highlights Surge in ADHD Claims
McFadden pointed to a dramatic increase in claims for conditions that were less diagnosed when PIP was introduced, particularly ADHD. He noted that 100,000 claimants now receive PIP for ADHD, with numbers tripling between 2020 and 2024 and continuing to rise. “These numbers tripled… between 2020 [and] 2024 and they’ve continued to rise,” McFadden told the i paper.
The minister expects “that whole question of the assessment and different conditions will be quite central to their work.” He added that the government is having “a different conversation about this now compared to a year ago, one which puts work and opportunity and participation at its heart… I believe this is a Labour cause as well as a national cause.”
Cost Control and Welfare Reform
McFadden defended the focus on cost, stating: “I don’t think cost is a dirty word; the cost of the system matters. I’m not saying cost doesn’t matter, but I want to get the cost under control and down by putting work and opportunity at the heart of the system.” This follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s failed attempt to push through reform last year, which faced fierce backlash.
A Government spokesperson said: “We inherited a broken welfare system and we are fixing it — a package of measures already coming into effect will save nearly £2billion by the end of the decade, and the Timms Review, working with disabled people and their representative organisations, is looking at how to make PIP fit and fair for the future. The increase in the PIP caseload has slowed under this Government, falling from 400,000 in the twelve months to July 2024 to 270,000 in the twelve months to April 2026.”
Impact on Claimants
The potential cuts have raised concerns among disability advocacy groups, who argue that PIP is essential for many people with ADHD and autism to cover extra costs related to their conditions. The Timms Review’s recommendations could significantly alter eligibility criteria, affecting hundreds of thousands of claimants.
