Headshot of Dr Clenton Farquharson

Disabled people to produce first full review of Personal Independence Payment

The first-ever full review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be led by disabled people, the government has announced.

The Timms Review will be co-chaired by Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE (pictured), Associate Director at Think Local Act Personal, Sharon Brennan, former Director of Policy and External Affairs at National Voices, and the minister for social security and disability, Sir Stephen Timms.

It will also be co-produced with disabled people and the organisations that represent them.

PIP was first introduced in 2013 and is currently claimed by 3.8 million people. The benefit is designed to help with extra costs incurred by living with an illness or disability.

The Department of Work and Pensions said it hopes the review will 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”.

The review will look at the role of PIP in enabling disabled people to live independently and fully participate in society, as well as the role of the assessment in unlocking wider support. 

Sharon Brennan said: “As a disabled person myself, I know from experience that disabled people are often disregarded on issues that affect them, so I am delighted that with this Review we will see them leading the conversation.   

“The Government’s commitment to co-production of the Review will put the expertise and experience of disabled people at the heart of the important change we’re determined deliver.”

Responding to the government announcement, Kathryn Marsden OBE, Chief Executive of SCIE, said: “SCIE welcomes the appointment of Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan to the Review. Reform can’t be effective if it’s removed from the realities of people with lived experiences; it must instead recognise and respect their invaluable expertise and place them at the very centre of all conversations and decisions.

“At SCIE, co-production with people with lived experience informs all that we do. We look forward to supporting the co-chairs and the wider steering group to drive meaningful change.”