Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people living with multiple sclerosis in Woking constituency; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to (a) disability benefits and (b) Personal Independence Payments on people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.
Estimates of the impact of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reforms are made for England and Wales only and not at region or any lower-level geographic area. The department does not forecast benefit receipt at a regional level or below, nor have estimates of the behavioural impacts of the policy been produced at these levels.
I attended on 10 June a roundtable discussion with the MS Society on “Supporting people with MS to thrive in and out of work.” We are committed to working with people with MS on the design of our programme of employment support, which will receive an additional £1 billion per year of funding by the end of this Parliament
The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP in future. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious. Someone who did not score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment as conditions change over time.
There will be no immediate changes to PIP eligibility. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. The OBR predicts that 9 in 10 of those on PIP daily living at the point any changes come in will still be receiving PIP by the end of the decade.
We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met.
We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I will lead. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.
Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain, published on 5 June 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's proposed changes to disability benefits on people with multiple sclerosis.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No separate assessment has been made.
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).
Impacts of the proposed changes depend on many factors including how the mix of conditions among claimants evolves over time, and behavioural responses. These impacts are uncertain at an overall England and Wales level, and it would not be possible to make an informed assessment at such a granular level as individual primary medical conditions.
Changes to PIP eligibility aren’t coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. PIP changes will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years.
We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis, but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.
We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment which I am leading, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of delays between people being confirmed medically fit and getting their driving licenses back by the DVLA.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services are the quickest way to apply for a driving licence and drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, visual impairments, sleep conditions or heart conditions can renew their driving licence online. The DVLA has also introduced a simplified licence renewal process for drivers with multiple sclerosis, some mental health conditions and glaucoma. This has significantly reduced the need for the DVLA to seek further information from medical professionals and enabled more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver.
The DVLA is continuing to make improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions and is introducing a new strategic system to process cases. This will provide better services for customers and allow straightforward applications to be processed more quickly.
In the 2024/25 financial year, the average time taken to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued was 44 working days, a reduction from 56 working days in the previous financial year.
Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can sometimes take longer depending on the medical condition or conditions being investigated. The DVLA is also often reliant on receiving information from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a decision can be made on whether to issue a licence.
Most applicants renewing an existing licence will be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing the driver can meet specific criteria.
Asked by: Anna Sabine (Liberal Democrat - Frome and East Somerset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to speed up the process of DVLA reviewing license renewal following medical improvement.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) online services are the quickest way to apply for a driving licence and drivers with diabetes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, visual impairments, sleep conditions or heart conditions can renew their driving licence online. The DVLA has also introduced a simplified licence renewal process for drivers with multiple sclerosis, some mental health conditions and glaucoma. This has significantly reduced the need for the DVLA to seek further information from medical professionals and enabled more licensing decisions to be made based on the information provided by the driver.
The DVLA is continuing to make improvements to the services provided to drivers with medical conditions and is introducing a new strategic system to process cases. This will provide better services for customers and allow straightforward applications to be processed more quickly.
In the 2024/25 financial year, the average time taken to make a licensing decision in cases where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued was 44 working days, a reduction from 56 working days in the previous financial year.
Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can sometimes take longer depending on the medical condition or conditions being investigated. The DVLA is also often reliant on receiving information from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a decision can be made on whether to issue a licence.
Most applicants renewing an existing licence will be able to continue driving while their application is being processed, providing the driver can meet specific criteria.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) Capita and (b) other relevant organisations on ensuring that Personal Independence Payment assessors have specialist knowledge in (i) multiple sclerosis, (ii) Crohn's and (iii) other non-visible disabilities.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises the importance of ensuring that health professionals (HPs) conducting assessments possess the necessary experience, skills, and training. To uphold this standard, DWP has established clear competency requirements, outlined in both guidance and regulations. Assessment suppliers (AS) must demonstrate that their HPs meet these standards before they are authorised to carry out assessments on behalf of the department.
DWP does not require HPs to be specialists in the specific medical conditions or impairments of the individuals they assess. Instead, the emphasis is on ensuring HPs are experts in disability analysis, focusing on how a person’s condition affects their daily life and functional abilities.
All HPs receive thorough training in disability analysis, which includes evaluating the impact of a wide range of health conditions on everyday activities. To support this, DWP provides AS with core training materials and guidance on conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Ulcerative Colitis, and other non-visible disabilities. These contain clinical and functional information relevant to the conditions and is quality assured to ensure its accuracy from both a clinical and policy perspective.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she will take to support people with (a) Multiple Sclerosis and (b) other fluctuating or progressive neurological conditions under the proposed reforms to PIP.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I recognise the vital role played by carers and family members in supporting individuals with MS. Through the Green Paper we are consulting on the support needed for those who may lose any entitlements because of proposed changes to PIP daily living and what this support could look like. We will also work closely with the DHSC and others on how the health and eligible care needs of those who would lose entitlement to PIP could be met outside the benefits system.
In the Green Paper, we committed to a review of the PIP assessment which I will be leading. Through the review, we want to make sure that the PIP assessment is fit for the future. This includes considering the PIP assessment criteria – including descriptors - and how the PIP assessment can play a role in unlocking wider support to enable better health, good work, higher living standards and greater independence.
We outlined our commitment to improving the PIP assessment in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. We will take action to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability benefits. This includes recording health assessments as standard to build greater trust in the system. The aim is to create greater transparency, using recordings as a learning opportunity to consider potential improvements to the quality of the assessment process.
I will work closely with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and others, to ensure that the voices of those who go through the PIP assessment, those who support them, and those with expertise in the system are embedded in the review.
The scope and timing of the review will be developed in close collaboration with stakeholders. I have now begun the first phase of this work, inviting stakeholders with a range of experience and expertise to roundtables to consider the scope and timing. I will then publish the Terms of Reference for the review in due course.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) carers and (b) family members of people with Multiple Sclerosis are (i) supported and (ii) recognised in the context of proposed changes to disability-related benefits.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I recognise the vital role played by carers and family members in supporting individuals with MS. Through the Green Paper we are consulting on the support needed for those who may lose any entitlements because of proposed changes to PIP daily living and what this support could look like. We will also work closely with the DHSC and others on how the health and eligible care needs of those who would lose entitlement to PIP could be met outside the benefits system.
In the Green Paper, we committed to a review of the PIP assessment which I will be leading. Through the review, we want to make sure that the PIP assessment is fit for the future. This includes considering the PIP assessment criteria – including descriptors - and how the PIP assessment can play a role in unlocking wider support to enable better health, good work, higher living standards and greater independence.
We outlined our commitment to improving the PIP assessment in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. We will take action to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability benefits. This includes recording health assessments as standard to build greater trust in the system. The aim is to create greater transparency, using recordings as a learning opportunity to consider potential improvements to the quality of the assessment process.
I will work closely with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and others, to ensure that the voices of those who go through the PIP assessment, those who support them, and those with expertise in the system are embedded in the review.
The scope and timing of the review will be developed in close collaboration with stakeholders. I have now begun the first phase of this work, inviting stakeholders with a range of experience and expertise to roundtables to consider the scope and timing. I will then publish the Terms of Reference for the review in due course.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to PIP on people living with Multiple Sclerosis.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made.
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.
Impacts of the proposed changes depend on many factors including how the mix of conditions among claimants evolves over time, and behavioural responses. These impacts are uncertain at an overall England and Wales level, and it would not be possible to make an informed assessment at such a granular level as individual primary medical conditions.
Changes to PIP eligibility aren’t coming into effect immediately. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. PIP changes will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years.
We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis, but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.
We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of multiple sclerosis care in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, across England, including in the Surrey Heath constituency. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, and the Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP). NHS England’s NTP is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services.
NHS England is also updating its Specialised Neurology service specification, which includes multiple sclerosis. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
Our 10-Year Health Plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, to move healthcare from the hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention. We also plan to publish our refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver a transformed health service over the next decade and treat patients wherever they live in England, including those with multiple sclerosis, on time again.
The Department has also convened a new United Kingdom-wide neuro forum, which brings together the administrations, health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four UK nations. The forum will share learnings across the UK, and discuss important neurology services transformation and workforce challenges, as well as best practice examples and potential solutions.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for their local population, including for multiple sclerosis. The Government expects ICBs, including the Surrey Heartlands ICB, which covers the Surrey Heath constituency, to assess the demand for service provision in designing their local services.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people with multiple sclerosis in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are initiatives to support better care for patients with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, across England, including in the Surrey Heath constituency. These include the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, and the Neurology Transformation Programme (NTP). NHS England’s NTP is a multi-year programme to develop a new model of integrated care for neurology services.
NHS England is also updating its Specialised Neurology service specification, which includes multiple sclerosis. Service specifications define the standards of care expected from organisations funded by NHS England to provide specialised care.
Our 10-Year Health Plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, to move healthcare from the hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention. We also plan to publish our refreshed Long Term Workforce Plan to deliver a transformed health service over the next decade and treat patients wherever they live in England, including those with multiple sclerosis, on time again.
The Department has also convened a new United Kingdom-wide neuro forum, which brings together the administrations, health services, and Neurological Alliances of all four UK nations. The forum will share learnings across the UK, and discuss important neurology services transformation and workforce challenges, as well as best practice examples and potential solutions.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services for their local population, including for multiple sclerosis. The Government expects ICBs, including the Surrey Heartlands ICB, which covers the Surrey Heath constituency, to assess the demand for service provision in designing their local services.