According to information obtained by Benefits and Work, the government’s new personal independence payment (PIP) proposals could result in almost nine out of ten current standard daily living awards failing on renewal.
A freedom of information (FOI) request to the Department of Work and Pensions revealed much higher numbers than previously suggested of current claimants who would lose out if the Government goes ahead with its plan to remove the daily living component from claimants who do not score 4 points or higher for at least one activity, when their PIP award is reviewed from November 2026.
Under this rule, as of January 2025:
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has suggested that the number of claimants who will lose their awards will not be as high as the 1,325,250 that these figures suggest. Instead, they argue that the actual number will be 800,000 because people will fight harder to be awarded a 4-point descriptor, including by challenging decisions.
Benefits and Work, however, think the OBR is being much too optimistic in arguing that over half a million claimants will be able to increase their scores because there are very limited opportunities to get four-point descriptors for claimants, especially with some conditions.
In addition, the standard of assessments is very poor in many cases, and many conditions are not understood. Also, the mandatory revisions and appeals process is long and demanding. There is very little support available for claimants whose health conditions may limit their ability to pursue an appeal.
Instead, it thinks this will lead to the virtual abolition of the standard rate behind a seemingly minor change to the scoring system.
It added: “Whatever the final number might be, there will be vastly fewer standard rate daily living awards by the time all current awards have been reviewed. And very few new claims from November 2026 will lead to an award of the standard rate daily living component.
“We know that Labour plan to scrap the work capability assessment in 2028 and replace it with a new, single assessment for PIP and the UC health element.
“It now seems entirely possible that they are preparing the ground for the complete abolition of the standard rate of the daily living component altogether for new claims, when the combined assessment is introduced.”
In a separate FOI request, Benefits and Work obtained details of the conditions with the highest number of awards but no 4-point or higher descriptors.
Nearly eight out of ten awards where back pain is the primary disabling condition are at risk under the proposed 4-point or higher rule. This is closely followed by arthritis, where over three-quarters of awards are threatened.
The conditions least likely to lose out are learning disabilities, where only 3% are at risk and autism at 6%. However, only 52% of those with anxiety and depression and 74% with ‘other’ psychiatric disorders scored 4 points or more.
Ken Butler, Disability Rights UK’s Welfare Rights and Policy Adviser, said: “Whatdotheyknow.com and Benefits and Work must be congratulated in making their FOI requests. Critically, in PIP legislation, the word ‘assistance’ means ‘help from another person’.
“The 4-point rule will mean Disabled people who need help from another person in multiple aspects would no longer be eligible for PIP. It is an arbitrary reform aimed solely at brutally cutting PIP expenditure.”
Disability Rights UK has launched a new Take Action page on the DR UK website containing information and resources regarding the recent green paper plan on benefit cuts and how Disabled people can get involved in responding.
