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Policy paper

Annex C - list of themes and topics

Published 9 July 2026

© Crown copyright 2026

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/timms-review-of-personal-independence-payment-interim-report/annex-c-list-of-themes-and-topics

Theme 1 - role and purpose of PIP

  • the role of PIP in enabling disabled people and those with long-term conditions to live independently and fully participate in society (from the Terms of Reference)
  • what role the assessment could and should play in unlocking wider support to better achieve higher living standards and greater independence (from the Terms of Reference)
  • the extent to which the purpose of PIP is understood
  • what it means to live independently and what this means for PIP
  • the role of PIP in enabling and supporting people to do meaningful activity, including employment
  • factors that affect the extra costs faced by disabled people
  • perceptions of PIP in society and how this affects peoples’ interactions with PIP
  • wider vision and ambitions for PIP and disabled people

Theme 2 - eligibility, fairness and equity in the award of PIP

  • the assessment criteria for both Mobility and Daily Living elements of PIP – including activities, descriptors and associated points – and whether these effectively capture the impact of long-term health conditions and disability in the modern world (from the Terms of Reference)
  • whether any other evidence should be considered alongside the functional assessment to fairly reflect the impact of living with a long-term health condition or disability (from the Terms of Reference)
  • how the PIP assessment could provide fair access to the right support at the right level across the benefits system (from the Terms of Reference)
  • PIP’s interactions with other forms of support, and how it may be used to cover gaps in wider support
  • the use of evidence in making PIP award decisions
  • the additional barriers people, such as those with protected characteristics, from different socio-economic groups, or in different locations, may face
  • provisions for people with fluctuating, multiple and episodic conditions
  • the use of technology in the evidence gathering process

Theme 3 - experience of claiming PIP

  • customer trust in the process
  • the assessment process and experience
  • equity and inclusion in the process
  • the public’s perception and trust in the PIP system
  • communication and accessibility
  • professionals’ training and skills
  • reasonable adjustments throughout the claim process
  • use of external assessment providers
  • the award review process
  • the appeals process
  • the role of technology, including the potential use of AI, in the process

Theme 4 - changing context and the impact on PIP

  • the factors contributing to increased disability prevalence in society including different conditions, ages, people, and terminal illness
  • the impact of changes in wider society on disability prevalence and the rising number of PIP claimants
  • the impact of changes in the workplace and labour market
  • the flexibility of PIP to adapt to future changes in disability and society
  • adapting to the future abolition of the Work Capability Assessment and other changes to benefits
  • how PIP can remain within fixed financial limits
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