The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a significant overhaul of the benefits assessment system, bringing a major change for millions of claimants. From April 2026, the period between reviews for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be substantially extended for many recipients. However, this will be accompanied by a tripling of face-to-face assessments.
Key Changes to PIP and Work Capability Assessments
Under the new plans set out by Labour's Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, the standard interval for PIP reviews will be increased. For most new claimants aged 25 and over, the initial review period will be a minimum of three years. If they continue to qualify after that, the subsequent review will be pushed back to five years.
This marks a dramatic shift from the current system, where the gap between award reviews can be as short as nine months. The DWP notes that the majority of claimants see no change to their entitlement upon reassessment.
A Sharp Rise in In-Person Assessments
While reviews will be less frequent, the mode of assessment is set for a stark reversal. The previous government's agreement with assessment providers required 80% of evaluations to be conducted remotely, mostly by telephone, with only 20% happening in person.
The new policy demands that the proportion of face-to-face assessments for both PIP and Work Capability Assessments (WCA) be increased to 30%. This represents a major increase from recent record lows of just 6% for PIP and 13% for WCA in 2024.
Mr McFadden stated 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 WCA.
Financial Impact and Government Rationale
The dual approach of extending review periods while increasing in-person checks is projected to deliver substantial savings for the Treasury. The DWP estimates these reforms will save £1.9 billion by the end of the 2030/31 financial year.
In his announcement, Pat McFadden framed the changes as part of a commitment to reform a welfare system that had "for too long written off millions as too sick to work." He argued the reforms would create a system that "supports those who need it while helping people into work and delivering fairness to the taxpayer."
The overarching goal is to create a more sustainable welfare state, though the shift towards more frequent in-person interactions will mark a significant change in experience for claimants undergoing assessment from 2026 onwards.
