The number of people claiming Personal Independence Payments (Pip) in England and Wales has reached a record high, with just over four million individuals entitled to the benefit as of July. This figure represents a 7% increase from the previous year, when 3.83 million people claimed the payment, according to data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Pip is intended to assist individuals with the additional expenses associated with having a disability or living with a long-term physical or mental health condition. Eligibility for the benefit is not contingent on a claimant's income or savings.

Of the 4.1 million claimants, more than half are aged 50 and above. Approximately 30% are between 30 and 49 years old, while 17% are between 16 and 29 years old.

The charity Scope estimates that the additional cost of being disabled, referred to as the disability price tag, now exceeds £1,100 per month.

Spending on Pip has seen a substantial increase. In 2019-20, adjusted for inflation, spending stood at £16.3 billion. By 2024-25, this had risen to £27.3 billion, with projections indicating a further increase to £41.5 billion by 2030-31.

Review of the Pip System

An ongoing review into the Pip system, led by Sir Stephen Timms, has concluded that the current process is "not fit for purpose." The review was commissioned after previous government proposals in the summer of 2025 to reform and tighten eligibility criteria for the benefit faced significant opposition from Labour MPs, leading to a government reversal.

Sir Stephen, the minister for social security and disability, was tasked with making recommendations to ensure the system is "fit and fair for the future." An interim report published in the summer suggested that the current assessment process can act as a barrier to work and has been described as "dehumanising."

Under the existing assessment, health professionals evaluate claimants on daily living tasks such as washing, dressing, and preparing food, using a scoring system. Emerging recommendations from the review, released earlier this month, suggest an increase in face-to-face assessments. While cash payments will remain the primary form of support, there will also be non-cash assistance options available.

The full findings and recommendations of the Timms review are expected to be published later this year.