The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed significant changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, set to take effect from April 2026. The reforms are designed to tackle a substantial backlog in Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) and are projected to save the Treasury £1.9 billion by the end of the 2030/31 financial year.
What Are the New PIP Rules?
Under the current system, the period between PIP award reviews can be as brief as nine months, despite most households seeing no change to their award level at reassessment. The new measure will substantially lengthen this timeframe for the majority of claimants.
For new claimants aged 25 and over, the initial award duration will be extended to a minimum of three years. If they remain eligible at their next review, this period will then be lengthened further to five years.
The government states that this change will free up health professionals, allowing them to focus on conducting more initial face-to-face assessments and completing a greater number of WCA reassessments for those already in the system.
Shift Back to Face-to-Face Assessments
A core part of the reform involves a major shift away from virtual assessments. The DWP plans to dramatically increase the proportion of assessments conducted in person, a move linked to a pledge made in the Pathways to Work Green Paper.
For PIP, the share of face-to-face assessments will rise from just 6% in 2024 (57,000 assessments) to 30% of all assessments. Similarly, for Work Capability Assessments, the figure will increase from 13% in 2024 (74,000) to 30%.
This marks a deliberate policy shift from the approach of the previous government, which had contracts stipulating that 80% of assessments should be carried out virtually.
Government Rationale and Wider Context
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, framed the changes as essential welfare reform. "We're committed to reforming the welfare system we inherited, which for too long has written off millions as too sick to work," he said.
He added that the government is "ramping up the number of assessments we do face-to-face and taking action to tackle the inherited backlog of people waiting for a Work Capability Assessment."
The DWP emphasised that reassessments remain important to account for changes in a person's health over time. These specific PIP changes are separate from the broader Timms Review, which will examine the fundamental role of PIP, its assessment criteria, and how it supports disabled people.
The April implementation will coincide with alterations to Universal Credit designed to narrow the gap between unemployment and long-term sickness payments. The reforms will also be supported by employment initiatives like Connect to Work and the redeployment of 1,000 work coaches to support sick or disabled individuals.
