UK: Disability benefits (UC, ESA and PIP) - news and updates 2024 and 2025

Kitty said:
I always have, they never get less than 7,000 words. I'm quite happy to make the contractors work for their money, and I can blather for England.

There seems to be a lack of clarity about how the review might affect working age people still on DLA. I've suggested to a couple of people that they consider applying for PIP before they're invited, because it's possible changes will be made that won't apply to current claimants. If PIP daily living is harder to claim after the review and the UC health element depends on getting it, it might be beneficial to apply under the current rules.

It's tough, though, when people are unwell and it's all so bloody stressful and difficult. But another advantage of applying ahead of time is that you can draft most of your PIP application before you even ask for the application form. That's what I did; I knew I'd struggle to write it all up and pull together all the evidence in the short window you're allowed after requesting a form. I spent months on it, just doing one section at a time then having a break.
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Initially I wasn't sure whether I should just tick 'no change' on the light touch review form as I have plenty of points, including a number of 4 points and well above the 12 point threshold (even my mobility is 22 points, not just the 12 for the physical side). But as I've actually worsened and have another 'new' severe condition that affects my breathing and even ability to stand up, because of the abolition of the WCA and not knowing how they will treat people in terms of pressuring them into 'work related activity', I think it's probably best to give a detailed account of my functioning. I'll likely have to complete my light touch review before the Timms Report is completed, so it's a matter of judgment. Of course with the DWP and the government's drive to reduce the welfare bill, it makes sense to assume the worst case scenario. My main concern is how I'll be treated on UC until my retirement, which won't be until 2033, rather than the PIP award itself. Because my next PIP award should hopefully take me until after state pension age, I'm assuming I won't face another reassessment during my 'working age', so the DWP/Job Centre would only have this information to go on. I'll be requesting a paper based assessment though. I've had 2 face to face ones (the second one in my home) so they should have enough evidence to make a judgment, especially as it's a 'light touch' review.
 
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Simbindi said:
But as I've actually worsened and have another 'new' severe condition that affects my breathing and even ability to stand up, because of the abolition of the WCA and not knowing how they will treat people in terms of pressuring them into 'work related activity', I think it's probably best to give a detailed account of my functioning.
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Yeah, I think I'd do the same to be on the safe side. You're probably right that once you've cleared that hurdle you're unlikely to be asked to do another UC reassessment.

My initial PIP award was made when I was still of working age. I had to do a face-to-face for it, which wasn't surprising given that they hadn't reassessed me for nearly 15 years, but the most recent was done on paper with no changes to the points and an ongoing award. I suspect being close to retirement age might have been a factor in it going through without another F2F.

There must come a point with UC where people with enhanced disability awards and only a few years left before state pension age become such unlikely candidates for boosting DWP's back-to-work targets that it's not worth their while trying to put pressure on. Hopefully, anyway.
 
Kitty said:
Yeah, I think I'd do the same to be on the safe side. You're probably right that once you've cleared that hurdle you're unlikely to be asked to do another UC reassessment.

My initial PIP award was made when I was still of working age. I had to do a face-to-face for it, which wasn't surprising given that they hadn't reassessed me for nearly 15 years, but the most recent was done on paper with no changes to the points and an ongoing award. I suspect being close to retirement age might have been a factor in it going through without another F2F.

There must come a point with UC where people with enhanced disability awards and only a few years left before state pension age become such unlikely candidates for boosting DWP's back-to-work targets that it's not worth their while trying to put pressure on. Hopefully, anyway.
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My recent one they stated “face to face isn’t necessary as paper-based evidence is more useful” or something. I’ve never had a PIP face to face. I think they just have too many to assess/quicker and easier to not bother.
 
Sally Callow (Stripy Lightbulb) has obtained by a series of FOIs the DWP Work Capability Assessment Assessor Training Document for ME/CFS, which was co-created by BACME, which contradicts NICE, which has been used for training DWP assessors since 2023.

The training document appears to be a contradictory mash up of NICE Guideline and worrying BACME 'Rehabilitation' and goal setting dogma. The document "lists “not attributing the illness to a physical cause” as a “good prognostic feature.”. And states skill is needed for WCA assessors to judge 'which stated difficulties in persisting with tasks is due to the physical component of the illness, and which is due to psychological factors'

Signed off by the DWP in May 2023.

Link below Includes Sally Callow's assessment of the DWP document (link) and the DWP document itself:

UK:'Challenging Harmful and Out-of-Date DWP Training on M.E./C.F.S.' by Sally Callow, July 2025
Please go to the thread to discuss the document.
.
 
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The final report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment has been published.

Summary -

www.gov.scot

Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment: final report - summary

The summary of the final report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment, written by Edel Harris OBE.
www.gov.scot www.gov.scot

Full report -

www.gov.scot

Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment: final report

The final report of the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment, written by Edel Harris OBE.
www.gov.scot www.gov.scot

I've only started reading the summary, but it includes this -

Trauma-informed approach​


The National Trauma Transformation Programme launched in 2023 includes Government-supported guidelines that reflect the importance of this approach.

However, during the Review, some people described experiences during their Adult Disability Payment journey that did not align with a trauma-informed approach.

When I met with a group of people who describe themselves as living with pandemic-disability (this includes people with Long Covid, people with vaccine injury, many of whom have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and people at high clinical risk of adverse consequences from re-infection) they stressed how helpful it would be for Social Security Scotland to be aware of the extent of trauma that many of them will have experienced.
 
Another suggestion made was that the exact wording of the reliability criteria (that a person must be able to undertake an activity safely, to an acceptable standard, repeatedly and in a reasonable time) should form part of the activity descriptor itself. Although this would be repetitive, it would highlight the importance of this part of the decision-making process and provide an opportunity for the client to answer the questions on the application form more fully.

I repeatedly heard that confidence in this part of the process is limited because of a “lack of transparency” or because in some determination letters the reasons for not making an award make no reference to the reliability criteria, leaving people to wonder if they were applied fairly or at all.
 

​

Recommendation 18:

Ensure rigorous application of the reliability criteria to ensure consistency in the decision-making approach.

Recommendation 19:

The reliability criteria should be explained clearly both in promotional materials, at the start and throughout the application process with more examples, so that clients understand its importance and have a clear understanding of how it is applied in making decisions.

Recommendation 20:

Make clear in decision-making guidance and in training that the inability to complete one activity reliably may be relevant to whether or not a client can complete other activities and should be proactively considered by case managers.

Recommendation 21:

Social Security Scotland should ensure that explicit reference is made to the reliability criteria in all decision correspondence, so that clients and representatives can understand if, and how, the criteria have been applied.
 
tornandfrayed said:

​

Recommendation 18:

Ensure rigorous application of the reliability criteria to ensure consistency in the decision-making approach.

Recommendation 19:

The reliability criteria should be explained clearly both in promotional materials, at the start and throughout the application process with more examples, so that clients understand its importance and have a clear understanding of how it is applied in making decisions.

Recommendation 20:

Make clear in decision-making guidance and in training that the inability to complete one activity reliably may be relevant to whether or not a client can complete other activities and should be proactively considered by case managers.

Recommendation 21:

Social Security Scotland should ensure that explicit reference is made to the reliability criteria in all decision correspondence, so that clients and representatives can understand if, and how, the criteria have been applied.
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Wow. Go Scotland!
 
MrMagoo said:
Wow. Go Scotland!
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Well it depends if they act on the recommendations, but the language is favourable. On Reporting Scotland yesterday the Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, says ADP is an investment in people and communities and she is proud of that. I don't know how to clip it but it's 7.30 - 12.50 min -

www.bbc.co.uk

Reporting Scotland - Evening News: 31/07/2025

The latest news and weather from BBC News Scotland. Presented by Laura Goodwin.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk

Obviously that clarity on "reliability" wouldn't just be great for those of us in Scotland, but would be a help in arguing for the same in England and Wales.
 
tornandfrayed said:
Well it depends if they act on the recommendations, but the language is favourable. On Reporting Scotland yesterday the Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, says ADP is an investment in people and communities and she is proud of that. I don't know how to clip it but it's 7.30 - 12.50 min -

www.bbc.co.uk

Reporting Scotland - Evening News: 31/07/2025

The latest news and weather from BBC News Scotland. Presented by Laura Goodwin.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk

Obviously that clarity on "reliability" wouldn't just be great for those of us in Scotland, but would be a help in arguing for the same in England and Wales.
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I think I’m going to say it in every response at my next tribunal
 
tornandfrayed said:
Obviously that clarity on "reliability" wouldn't just be great for those of us in Scotland, but would be a help in arguing for the same in England and Wales.
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It would.

People who engage with benefits websites and Citizens' Advice centres usually learn that 'reliably' and 'repeatedly' might be the focus of many of their answers and 'as often as needed' could feature in many. But I wonder how many people don't realise just how tricksy a game it is, and that it's nearly impossible to get an award unless you both know the rules and how to apply them to your disability.
 
This is why they have to change PIP. They say it’s because there are webpages telling people what to write to win a claim, and that’s partly true. Not because people are cheats, because people share experience on what to say and how to say it so your evidence isn’t disregarded!
 
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