Timms review finally appoints co-chairs

Details: Published: 30 October 2025

After a lengthy delay, the Timms review has finally appointed two co-chairs to lead its work, with recruitment for steering group members now also opened.

The co-chairs are Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan.

Dr Clenton Farquharson is Associate Director at Think Local Act Personal, a Trustee of Disability Rights UK, and National Development Team for Inclusion. He was named in Disability News Services’ list of influential disabled people.

Sharon Brennan previous roles include policy manager at Alzheimer’s Society, 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.

There is no information given in the DWP press release to explain what process was gone through to select and appoint the co-chairs.

At the same time as the this news was announced, the DWP also opened applications for people wishing to apply to be a member of the Timms review steering group.

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John · 20 days ago
One is someone who promotes inclusion in the workplace the other someone who promotes community care. The government reforms have the aim of cutting welfare by redefining the disabled as work capable and getting more of them to get a job and using some of the money saved to fund more help in the community and more help towards getting and retaining a job. That is focusing more on and spending more money on the things these people advocate the government should do.

I would feel far more reassured if the government had appointed leaders of disabled people organizations that have been at the front of opposing welfare cuts. As then the reforms might be about improving the system rather than cutting benefits spending.
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  bronc · 15 days ago
  
  @John Good points made. For those us too ill to work these appointments are not reassuring.
  There are appears to be a consistent refusal of the government to do anything to address the large number of us who are too ill to ever work again. It appears that the government is using the old divide and rule tactic playing off those in work against those of us too ill to work.
  
  The new unemployment insurance scheme leaves those of us contribution based ESA in a very uncertain position. Will we be forced on to means tested UC and then expected to look for work?
  
  I recently raised a number of issues regarding the Timms review with my local Labour MP who surprisingly did concede various points and agreed to write to Mr Timms. For example, she agreed that disabled people on benefits who get appointed to the PIP review committee should have the option to be paid in vouchers if they are unable to claim the £300 a day for participation in the group. I also asked her to ask Timms what the term “strategic engagement” meant in the essential criteria for applicants to the review committee.
  
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Moose · 21 days ago
The co chairs sound like they may be good appointments.
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