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The Government has announced that disabled people will be at the heart of the first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) revealed on Thursday that two new co-chairs will join the Timms Review - a committee chaired by the Minister for Social Security and Disability , Sir Stephen Timms, with the aim of improving and modernising PIP policy-making. Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan will join discussions to ensure PIP fairly reflects the reality of the impact of people’s conditions in the modern world, as well as considering the needs of disabled people more widely. It will look at the role of the scheme in enabling disabled people to live independently and fully participate in society, as well as the role of the assessment in unlocking wider support. A recruitment process for the review's steering group has also been launched. The majority of these recruits will be disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations, and those chosen will lead the co-production and strategic direction of the Review. The Expression of Interest for this is available on the government website and will run for four weeks. Dr Farquharson brings more than 25 years’ experience as a national advocate for disability rights, co-production and social justice. He is associate director at Think Local Act Personal, a Trustee of Disability Rights UK, and National Development Team for Inclusion. Sharon Brennan brings expertise from previous roles including as Director of Policy and External Affairs at National Voices, a coalition of health and care charities, and advising the Department for Transport on accessibility as a member of the Disabled Person’s Transport Advisory Committee. Close to 10 million working age people are disabled, and this number has grown by nearly 3 million since 2013/14. In recent years, there have been increases in the prevalence of disability among young people and a rise in mental health conditions. However, despite these shifts, PIP has never been fully reviewed until now. Speaking about the latest additions, Mr Timms said: "We’re ensuring disabled people and those with long-term health conditions can access the same opportunities, choices, and chances as everyone else. "That’s why we’re putting them at the heart of the first ever full review of PIP – making sure it is fair and fit for the future." He added: "I’m delighted to welcome Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan as the Review’s co-chairs and encourage people with lived experience to apply to be part of this important work." The Review is expected to report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by Autumn 2026, with an interim update expected ahead of that.
