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PIP award increases plummet threefold

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The proportion of personal independence payment (PIP) awards that are increased as the result of a planned review has plummeted threefold in the space of two years, with a particularly steep drop in the most recent quarter.  There is no obvious explanation for this fall and it is hidden in official DWP statistics, which only give a five year rolling average.

Fewer than one in fifteen planned review claimants saw an increase in their award in the latest quarter for which figures are available – November 2025 to January 2026 - falling from around one in ten for the same period last year and around one in five for the same period two years ago.

In the last five years, the percentage of awards that have been increased as a result of a planned review has never fallen below 10%, except for two months: July 2025 when it fell to 8.33% and November 2024 when the figure was 9.9%.

Yet in the most recent quarter for which statistics have been provided, all three months saw increases for fewer than 10% of planned award reviews:

Nov  7.93%

Dec  5.41%

Jan  5.99%

This gives an average over the quarter of 6.44% of claimants getting an increase.

The same quarter last year (Nov 24 to Jan 25), saw 10.16% of claimants get an increase in their awards.

For the year before (Nov 23 to Jan 24), the figure was 20.9%.

Overall, changes to the results of planned award reviews have been very marked over the last two years, with a strong increase in the percentage of awards that stay the same and a much smaller percentage of winners and losers.

In the latest quarter, 3.34% of claimants got a lower award, 3.56% last year and 8.6% the year before that.

And in the latest quarter 78.2% of claimants got the same award following a planned review, 76.3% a year before and 53.2% two years before.

Yet none of this is apparent from the official quarterly PIP statistics.  Because the DWP only give a five year rolling average, their latest statistics for planned award reviews show (our figures are in brackets):

Award increased  15% (latest quarter actually 6.4%)

Award maintained 63% (latest quarter actually 78.2%)

 Award decreased  6%  (latest quarter actually 3.34%)

On the positive side, this means planned award reviews are becoming less risky for claimants.  If the current rates continue, almost eight out of ten will see their award unchanged and only one in thirty will get a lower award.

But many claimants have conditions that deteriorate over time.  And many of those claimants would rather wait for a planned award review than risk upsetting things by requesting a change of circumstances review, even when they believe they should now be entitled to a higher rate of PIP.

There has been no change in the law that would account for the fall in increased awards.  Nor has there been any change in publicly available guidance for assessors or decision makers that would account for it. But, unquestionably, something has changed to account for such a significant and continued fall.

All statistics were obtained from the DWPs Stat-Xplore tool

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scorpion
    · 8 days ago
    Worth listening to him.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwaqU0O1Mas
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Alison Hughes
    · 8 days ago
    Since my initial assessments for PIP which were face to face , l cant ever remember being asked to attend a re assessment.  It was about 10yrs ago , and l was put through absolute hell , having to go to court etc . . Since then,  my health has deteriorated massively , and in so many ways l am significantly worse .  A few friends say l should contact PIP , but l feel unable to go through all that stress again . Looking at all the statistics , l think it would be better , for me ,  to do nothing . 
    I am concerned , however , that if l am asked to go for re assessment,  that they would consider it suspicious , considering how much worse l am , that l didn't volunteer the information myself ? ?

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scorpion
    · 9 days ago
    Wes Streeting suggested last month that he would support cutting benefits to boost funding for the Armed Forces, despite Keir’s refusal to do the same a day earlier.

    Arguing that the expenditure “has got to come from somewhere”, he became the first Cabinet minister to openly favour cutting the £334bn benefits budget to fund the military.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      tomnook
      · 8 days ago
      @Scorpion Anything but tex the rich and big companies all making a fortune. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CC
    · 10 days ago
    I have always said the gov can change things without changing descriptors, they just change the guidance to decision makers and assessors.
    I fully expect these reviews of existing LCWRA will be a similar story, same descriptors but less awards due to new guidance.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      John
      · 9 days ago
      @CC Yes they have done that in the past. And have had the courts rule against their guidance. Resulting in the DWP having to recheck lots of claims and adjust awards. Although often not giving higher awards to anywhere near the expected numbers of people wrongly given low awards. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scorpion
    · 10 days ago
    Starmer is a joke!

    He says, "Brown will build a stronger Britain", by appointing him as special envoy on global finance!

    Isn't he himself the one who was elected for that task?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scorpion
    · 10 days ago
    I'm glad he didn't appoint Harriet Harman as his advisor on welfare, as she's an ardent welfare cuts proponent.

    In July 2015, during her time as acting leader of the Labour Party, Harriet Harman urged Labour MPs to abstain on the Conservative government's Welfare Reform and Work Bill, which included plans for £12 billion in welfare cuts.

    I think appointing Gordon brown as special envoy on global finance, and Harriet Harman as adviser on women and girls is nothing but using them to calm down pressure from Labour MPs
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    John
    · 11 days ago
    The reason Labour has lost council seats to Reform appears to not be because Labour voters are voting Reform. But due to Labour voters voting Green, while Conservative voters are voting Reform. Which would indicate Labour at the next general election will as planned rely on saying a vote Green is a vote for a Reform government as only Labour can stop Reform. While the Green party has previously said they will do a general election deal with Labour to stop Reform if Starmer is not the Labour leader. A deal where the Greens do not stand against Labour in lots of seats and in return Polanski and his friends get to stand in seats with no Labour candidates standing against them.

    Fear of Reform is why Starmer and friends think they can do anything regardless of how unpopular it is with the left. As come the next general election they believe left wing voters will turn up and vote Labour regardless to stop Reform.

    In the UK there are more left wing voters (Labour, LibDem, Green, Independents, SNP, Plaid Cymru) than right wing voters (Conservative, Reform, DUP). The reason the right wing often win is due to their vote being less divided. Labour hope fear of Reform will unite the left wing vote behind whichever left wing party is best placed to defeat Reform. Which they believe will obviously be Labour.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 9 days ago
      @John After all the current predictions and projections, the fact is that we've got three years to go before the next general election takes place and till then the current trajectory can change following changes of variables. 

      Needless to add that people voted Reform last Thursday mainly to punish Labour and with regards to the boats and not because they're happy with the wishlist of Reform and its toxic narrative.

      In addition, many, if not most, of those who sympathise with Reform are poor people or are from areas of high welfare dependency; thus by voting Reform they would be the hardest hit of Reform's destructive and divisive programme. In other words, they would be no different from turkeys voting for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      John
      · 9 days ago
      @Scorpion Problem is the voting system is different in the UK. There is no first round to show who the second place candidate is to rally around, and a second round to stop the front runner from winning.

      We may have Labour saying vote Labour to stop reform a vote for LibDems or Green or SNP or PC is a vote for Reform. And the LibDems saying vote LibDem to stop reform a vote for the others is a vote for Reform, and so on. All with their own previous election results or polling graphs showing you need to vote for them in your constituency, and links to websites they set up showing the same. With the end result being the vote against Reform gets split.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Big Neal
      · 9 days ago
      @Scorpion Reform will have first chance of forming a government and will team up with the Tories.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 10 days ago
      @John Tactical alliance can and will block Reform from winning a governing majority. This is exactly what happened to Marine le Pen's National Rally (RN), in France, when it was prevented from winning a governing majority in the 2024 legislative elections through a tactical alliance, which made Marine Le Pen's National Rally to finish third despite receiving the highest number of votes in the first round (33.2%), after opponents from the left and centre, who wouldn't unite otherwise, worked together to block her far-right party, National Front, which has been rebranded as National Rally since 2018 to make it sound appealing to the usual poorly educated unsuspecting gullible minds.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      John
      · 10 days ago
      @Cookie I am in my fifties, during my lifetime the only general election where the combined popular vote of right wing parties was 50% or more was 2015. And then only barely. If we had only two parties right and left the UK would have seen almost continuous leftwing rule since WW2. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Matt
    · 11 days ago
    We can see the direction of travel for the next three years: Labour will pivot to the right, try to bribe the young who have voted green and perhaps open discussions about a future coalition. For the community here this does mean tightening of eligibility for benefits, face to face assessments (and reassessments) and increased stress and poverty m
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Matt
      · 10 days ago
      @Scorpion Interesting to see Gordon Band Harriet Harman brought in as special advisers.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 11 days ago
      @Matt But the following is what Starmer has said with regards to pivoting to the right or left:

      “While we must respond to the message that voters have sent us, that doesn’t mean tacking right or left.”

      Let's listen to what he'll say next week, as Downing Street sources said that "he would deliver a major speech next week in which he would seek to set out a more optimistic vision of the country’s future."
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scorpion
    · 11 days ago
    It's shocking that even the Conservatives are gaining from Labour, taking over Westminster Council from Labour, which gained control of it from the Conservatives in May 2022!!!!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Neil
    · 12 days ago
    It is unfortunately looking like reform are coming out as winners in these local elections, oh god are we screwed.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Big Neal
      · 9 days ago
      @Neil Cuts are coming either way,it's idealogical.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Anon
      · 11 days ago
      @Neil Hi Sir I am sorry for what you are going through and do not forget that there are people like myself and everyone who contributes and the support of the Benefits and Work Team who work so hard to uphold the rights for all disabled people. Do not lose heart Sir.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    WINK
    · 13 days ago
    I think its a cloaked way to reduce the backpay, my review Jan 2023, took DWP until April 2024, they ignored all the new evidence (including my social worker care plan)and scored me exactly the same. 

    I had to wait 19 months for my tribunal, which took 12 minutes to agree my entitlement had increased 9 points to 17 points for daily living, they backdated it to the day DWP made it's decision, despite the changes being present since Jan '23- that saved them the difference for almost 15 months.
     
    I should have challenged the date, but at that point I was just so relieved for it to be finally over. 


  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Yorry
    · 13 days ago
    Could it be that most "Change in Circumstances" where health has deteriorated reviews have been put on "Hold". 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Garry
    · 13 days ago
    Let’s face it PIP is a lottery, it’s got nothing to do with helping the disabled, especially if you get a physiotherapist doing the assessment, PIP should be awarded by medical advice!
    The DWP could could turn the whole process into a video game, it would make a fortune !
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      John
      · 13 days ago
      @Garry Yeah it seems to be a lottery. And if someone gets a PIP award but not as much as expected. Like a game show they have to gamble their award as if they ask for a mandatory reassessment they are reassessed in full again. It strikes me lots of people are awarded PIP but given lower awards than they are entitled to because the DWP know lots of people will find the prospect of asking for a mandatory reconsideration and if that fails appealing, too risky and too stressful. So they settle for what the DWP gives them even if they believe they should have been awarded more. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      rookie
      · 13 days ago
      @Garry The dwp would make a fortune, because they'd probably rig the game and make us play it, then base our awards on how we scored, which would always favour their decision.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Duncan
    · 14 days ago
    The right wing media are definitely stoking the fire with the anti benefit rhetoric and it really seems to gone up a gear, the likes of Talk TV and GB news seem happy to report that virtually everyone on PiP has a mobility car and then enough for luxuries like holidays, I bloody wish ! I'm really beginning to get resentful and angry at these lies and exagerations and nobody seems to argue contrary 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      tintack
      · 12 days ago
      @John Note the sly comparison of a salary, which is paid to an individual, with the income of a  household, which may well consist of multiple people.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      John
      · 13 days ago
      @Duncan Well according to research done by the Conservators lots of non working households on benefits are getting more than the average UK salary, more than £50k, more than £60k. The media report this research as if it is fact rather than than made up nonsense based on assumptions and not based on DWP data or how the benefits system works. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      CC
      · 13 days ago
      @Duncan I for one cannot afford a Motability car Even though I would be able to have one My car is ten years old As for holidays We are lucky to get a couple of days away in the UK  Plus I am a tax payer too Not a scrounger  or a cheat Most of us cannot recognise the people those spouting out this bile are describing  As the people actually on PIP But the reality does not help their agenda
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      tintack
      · 13 days ago
      @Duncan
      "I'm really beginning to get resentful and angry at these lies and exagerations and nobody seems to argue contrary"

      To be fair, the Greens do, and look at how they're treated by our fearless media as a result of questioning the economic status quo. We've now got to the point at which the right wing press are claiming to be terribly concerned about antisemitism while simultaneously publishing blatantly antisemitic caricatures of a Jewish man in order to smear him as an antisemite - let the mindboggling insanity of that sink in. And the Labour party are right there alongside them, with the likes of McFadden and Steve Reed slinging as much mud as they can. Because apparently antisemitism doesn't count when it's directed at someone who doesn't toe the establishment line.

      If you have a vote tomorrow, use it well. At this point it's abundantly clear that Labour, the Tories and Reform are increasingly indistinguishable from each other. Labour need to get thumped by parties to their left, whether that's the Greens, the SNP or Plaid Cymru.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Paul Woodey
    · 14 days ago
    To me it’s clear what is happening the planned review application requires a lot more information about the claimant enabling the decision maker to make a new award without an assessment, this comes as a relief for claimants so an unwritten policy develops of “make the same award for at least 5 years.” Even claimant triggered reviews are resulting in “we’ve looked at your claim and decided your award remains the same.” All these decisions are made within new assessments.  The vast majority of claimants won’t challenge these decisions. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Nex
    · 14 days ago
    I had a review (much delayed) after my second round of open heart surgery. In their wisdom they decided to ignore all of the new physical problems (onset of Fibromyalgia and mobility problems for example) and stopped my PIP completely. Luckily I was successful with my MR but despite being promised an increase verbally, that never materialised. Also luckily I recorded their verbal promise and I'm now waiting for a tribunal date.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Matt
    · 14 days ago
    Whilst I agree that changing the PM is not likely to change Labour's policies in itself, what is worrying is the headlines in today's FT and Guardian reporting the highest level of Government in 28 years, and the prospect of prolonged inflation. This bodes ill for welfare claimants and those, like myself, on low pay with an annual increase below the current level of inflation.  Any Government is going to look at it's borrowing costs and see where cuts can be made....I really do have a nasty feeling that the Timms review will be a copy and paste of what the Blair Institute proposes. And I don't think existing claimants are going to be excluded.
     
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    pollenpath
    · 14 days ago
    What's all this then?

    'The Timms Review is today announcing a wider programme of evidence-gathering and public engagement, giving disabled people, Disabled People’s Organisations, carers, practitioners, clinicians, researchers and other experts more ways to share evidence and experience.'



  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Frances
    · 14 days ago
    @Scorpion congrats and thanks for sharing your good news. I hope it encourages others to be proactive and shore up their position, even though we don't know what's ahead. You've not only done that, but improved your current circumstances 👏
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 14 days ago
      @Frances Hi, Frances.

      Thank you.

      My doctors had been advising me to claim it since May 2022, but I was so hesitant, as these assessments are so stressful and, for some people, dehumanising.

      Fortunately, my phone assessment only lasted about 38 minutes, as I was told that it was not a full assessment, and I got a text message 4 days later informing me that I was awarded PIP.

      You're absolutely right, it has improved my current situation in many ways.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Neil
    · 16 days ago
    John did U read what I put in a few  categories down in the main subject list about what will happen to existing claimants in 2028/2029, will we still be left alone or will we be forced into the requiring pip daily living in order to maintain our former Lcwra/ to be called UC health award or will we be automatically being put in that category without needing daily living in order to qualify?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 14 days ago
      @Cookie I was just talking in general, but when it comes to welfare, you're spot on - they all "have a bee in their Bonnet about welfare", to appease others at our expense, as it's a soft target, alas.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Cookie
      · 14 days ago
      @Scorpion It doesnt matter who gets in as all Politicians seem too have a Bee in their Bonnet about welfare.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Neil
      · 14 days ago
      @Cookie Why would that change anything, it's the general elections we need to worry about more isn't it?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Scorpion
      · 14 days ago
      @Neil To me, both Streeting and Rayner are useless, and therefore, Starmer is much preferable over them.

      Streeting is a Blair construct, and Rayner has no solid principles and, in general, is not fit for the post. Remember, when Rayner threatened other Labour MPs with losing their whip if they voted against the welfare bill last july!

      However, what is important is not really changing the PM, but policy. Changing just the PM is nothing but a short-term political theatre. Changing the PM is a useless endeavour unless it is accompanied by a genuine fundamental change in direction and policy.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Neil
      · 14 days ago
      @Scorpion I am awaiting my cab appointment on 11th may for help with filling out the tribunal application form 

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