The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed how its upcoming welfare reform for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) will impact older claimantsLinda Howard Money and Consumer Writer and Samantha Leathers
14:58, 18 Jun 2025
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Individuals born prior to 1960 may narrowly escape Labour’s impending welfare reform, which poses a threat to the Personal Independence Payments of thousands of disabled Britons. The reform, set to take effect next November, will impose stricter eligibility criteria for the benefit.
However, as confirmed by Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, those aged 66 and above “will not be affected” by the change. This is largely due to the fact that the reform will be applied to existing claimants upon review of their award, an occurrence that is relatively rare for those beyond the state pension age.
Presently, nearly 700,000 individuals above the state pension age continue to claim PIP. Though it is not possible to apply for the benefit beyond the age of 66, those who successfully claimed it prior to reaching this milestone birthday can continue to receive their award.
According to the Daily Record, individuals nearing state pension age who submit a new claim for PIP, or existing claimants turning 66, typically undergo a ‘light-touch’ review every 10 years. In contrast, review periods for those under the state pension age can be as brief as nine months, with some exceptional cases being even shorter.
Sir Stephen Timms further elaborated: “In the Pathways to Work Green Paper we announced that we will introduce a new eligibility requirement to ensure that only those who score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity will be eligible for the daily living component of PIP. This requirement will need to be met in addition to the existing PIP eligibility criteria.”, reports Lancs Live.
“Our intention is that the changes will apply to new claims and award reviews from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. In keeping with existing policy, people of state pension age are not routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes.
“All claimants are required to notify the Department of any change to their circumstances, be that an improvement or deterioration in their needs. Upon notification of a change, a Case Manager will consider what further action might be required to ensure the claimant is receiving the correct level of support.”
The latest figures from the DWP indicate that there are currently 3.7 million recipients of PIP throughout Great Britain. The data also highlights that 690,186 individuals over State Pension age are utilising this disability benefit, potentially augmenting their monthly income by as much as £1,670.80 when combined with the state pension.
For those eligible, PIP provides a sum ranging from £116.80 to £749.80 every four weeks, varying according to the extent of one’s disabling condition. Contrastingly, the updated state pension stands at a maximum of £230.25 per week, whereas the essential state pension tallies up to £176.45.
Further discoveries from the DWP’s latest data shed light on the number of pensioners who are claimants of PIP:
- Aged 65 – 69: 416,230
- Aged 70 – 74: 213,113
- Aged 75 – 79: 60,846
- Total: 690,186