Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Independent review of the Personal Independence Payment assessment Timms Review will consider how the Personal Independence Payment assessment could be improved for people who are (a) living with a terminal illness and (b) not able to claim under the Special Rules for End of Life.

The Government is committed to ensuring we have a system that supports disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, including people at end of life.

The Timms Review aims to ensure that Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is fair and fit for the future. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts, meaning the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. It will therefore be for the Review’s leadership group – building from the Terms of Reference – to set its strategic direction, priorities and workplan. We will not seek to make further changes to PIP eligibility until the Review has reported its findings.

The Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules – called the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment, serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit. The current rules were updated in 2022/23 following a comprehensive review. The Government is not currently considering a further review of SREL policy but remains committed to maintaining fast-tracked access and is actively exploring ways to improve the delivery of the current system.