As the Conservatives plan to slash personal independence payment (PIP) to pay for tax cuts, arguing that far too many people are getting awards for minor illnesses, a think tank has undertaken research to find out the actual causes of the increase in claims for PIP and other disability and incapacity benefits.

250,000 PIP claims in three months

The latest PIP statistics reveal a record number of applications, with a quarter of a million new claims being lodged in the three months to April 2024.  This is an increase of almost half since April 2021. 

The amount spent on disability and incapacity benefits was fairly constant until 2013-14, but in the next ten years spending on working age  incapacity benefits rose by 34% and disability benefits by 89%.  In terms of cost, the bill has risen (in 2024-25 prices), from £28 billion to £43 billion.

PIP is not getting easier to claim

In spite of what tabloid press and government ministers may assert, it is not getting easier to qualify for PIP.  Success rates for new claims have fallen since PIP was introduced in 2013 and award rates for DLA to PIP forced transfers have not altered over time.

Moreover, the DWP considers that the rate of fraud in relation to PIP is so small that it is assessed at 0% in the 2024 “Fraud and error in the benefits system annual report”.

So what has caused the huge rise in claims?

The Resolution Foundation’s 38 page report “Under strain. Investigating trends in working-age disability and incapacity benefits” offers some important answers.

Poorer health

Since 2011, improvements in life expectancy have slowed and have now begun going backwards, suggesting that people are getting less healthy.

And the number of people who report that they have a “long-standing illness, disability or impairment which causes substantial difficulty with day-to-day activities” has risen from 5.9 million to 8.9 million in the last decade.

So, it is likely that as the UK population becomes less healthy – and has to wait longer and longer for treatment – more people are becoming eligible for disability and incapacity benefits

Longer awards

In part because of the DWP’s inability to carry our reviews on time, the length of time people remain on PIP is much longer than was intended when the benefit was introduced, meaning that the caseload has grown larger.

Falling value of other benefits

The value of basic out-of-work benefits has fallen over time. 

A single person claiming JSA was 7.6% worse off in in April 2024 compared to April 2010.  At a time of a serious cost of living crisis, this is a powerful incentive to apply for health related benefits. 

A single person getting UC will see their award more than double if they are also eligible for the health element.  An award of PIP would equally make a dramatic difference to their income.

So people who might not have been prepared to face the unpleasantness of a WCA or PIP assessment in the past may be more willing to do so now.

Rising state pension age

Overall, a growing, ageing population and a rise in the state pension age has led to 25% more people being eligible for incapacity and disability benefits.

But only just over half of the spending on working age disability benefits is due to a higher caseload - the rest is due to award rates being higher.

Removal of the lowest level of support in PIP

DLA has three levels of award for the care component.  When PIP was introduced, the lowest level was done away with in the expectation that this would cut costs.  In reality, it has had the opposite effect:  the average value of awards has gone up. 

In fact, 31% of claimants who had been getting the lowest level of DLA care were awarded the standard level of the PIP daily living component when forcibly transferred.  Remarkably,  30% got the enhanced component.

In other words, whilst the DWP expected most claimants to lose out because of the removal of the lowest rate,  over 60% of claimants are actually better off.

The same thing is happening when young people transfer from Child DLA to PIP, with 63% of claimants receiving a higher award of PIP than they did of DLA.  

Proposed Abolition of the WCA

One issue the Resolution Foundation did not deal with is the proposed abolition of the WCA.

The Conservatives have said they intend to abolish the WCA and make receipt of PIP the basis for being eligible for UC health.  Many claimants believe this may be driving people to apply for PIP now, because they are afraid they will lose their ESA or UC Health if they do not do so.

Increased awareness of PIP qualifying criteria

Another issue the Resolution Foundation did not cover is the effect of social media.

Readers have reported to us a growing number of social media sites which encourage people to claim PIP and explain who can get it and how to apply.  Often the information given is inaccurate or incomplete, but such sites do undoubtedly raise awareness.

In addition, the Disability News Service has highlighted the rise of  “clickbait” news stories about PIP, particularly on local newspaper sites.  Often these ‘follow a familiar pattern, with headlines telling readers “DWP to pay extra £362 a month for one of these 23 conditions”, “DWP says it’ll pay £691 to people with any of 87 common conditions” or “87 common muscle and joint conditions that qualify you for £737 from DWP”’.

Again, the information is often misleading, but it means more people are finding out about PIP.

What do you think?

The Resolution Foundation have carried out a well-researched and carefully supported examination of some of the factors behind the rise in claims for incapacity and disability benefits.

But they are unlikely to have uncovered all the reasons. 

Do you have an opinion on what has caused the rise?  Let us know in the comments section below.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Scrounger · 3 months ago
    Because Tory austerity made poor people ill. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Gladioli · 3 months ago
    I think that it is a combination of factors but with the people that I help to support the main factor is financial. They are struggling with the cost of living and see PIP as a way of paying for essentials. I supported one client to claim PIP and he told that the award meant that he could eat a decent meal. I am helping someone at the moment who struggles with his mobility but has to use the bus as he can't afford to pay for a taxi. I have another client who used a backdated PIP payment to replace a broken washing machine. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      CCG3 · 3 months ago
      @Laura The actual rate of fraudulent claims for disability benefits is less than 1% - 0.8% according to a campaign run by Mind a number of years ago. They mocked up a tabloid headline that read ‘Shock statistics show that 99.2% of Benefit Claims are Genuine!!’

      Tory propaganda has the average person believing it’s far greater than that! Hence all the ‘scroungers rhetoric’. I would love to not be so unwell with a progressive disabling disease and able to still work - I had a good career - but I’m not going to get better, there is no cure and even what treatments there are my body struggles to cope with (side effects causing more symptoms). 
      This is the life situation for many sick and disabled people but instead of empathy mixed with being very glad that it hasn’t happened to them, the rhetoric is all about being ‘work shy’. I really wouldn’t wish this situation on anyone yet they behave as if diseases/illnesses and disability are a ‘lifestyle choice’. COVID /and Long Covid has meant that a large section of the public who have never needed state help before have been suddenly exposed to the reality of how inadequate state benefits - are and how the DWP treats those who are in need whether that be due to poverty wages or illness/diseases and disability. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Laura · 3 months ago
      @Gladioli The motivation for applying for pip should never be financial. So many people are in the same boat with the cost of living but not all of them are disabled. By claiming for financial gain has just made it a thousand times harder for those who do struggle with disabilities less likely to be believed. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Old Mother · 3 months ago
    Older retirement age - people becoming incapacitated trying to work/ not healthy enough to work. 

    NHS failings / people becoming disabled waiting for treatment / treatments no longer covered.  PIP needed for so many medical costs now. 

    Definitely people panicking re tory proposed reforms linking PIP to benefits. 

    It’s unreal how these people have reminded in government for so long. They have damaged the nation’s health and ability to work.  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Fairynuf · 3 months ago
      @Ella And if you qualify for PIP before state retirement age you continue to be eligible to claim after retirement. So if you increase the retirement age you include more older people with higher levels of disability and who will be eligible for much longer - so the PIP numbers will increase significantly.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Ella · 3 months ago
      @Old Mother Old mother I totally agree, lower retirement age, = less people on benefits. 
      More jobs available for younger generation = less people on unemployment benefits. 
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    bluejay52 · 3 months ago
    I completely agree with sally-jane.
    Like her my PIP has helped with all utiliy bills.
    It also has helped me keep my own car on the road.
    I honestly think, that all the leaders have not lived in the real world and they dont know what it is to struggle, vouchers as far as im concerned are a non starter.

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    pusscatsmum · 3 months ago
    re PIP. Many  were  on  DLA lifetime awards, which changed to PIP, and then had to jump  through even more  hoops to gain  finances and a bit  of dignity. Many  use the PIP for a chance to lead  some sort  of a  life, be  it food, aids, taxis, care costs, treatments etc. The cash helped more recently with utility costs etc. For this to be compromised by it being turned into vouchers'  and similar is totally bonkers. Firstly that will line the  pockets of Chinese companies such as temu and shien . If they decide vouchers for food, that will be for the mainstream supermarket chains. And so  the  list goes on re that side  of things. Secondly the  loss  of cash no doubt they will  say 'well you don't need it , the vouchers  will suffice'. Not  user friendly. Some  reside abroad, and those are allowed PIP, vouchers are not applicable in  that  point.  More  people are  applying for PIP, as they are  older,  between 58 to  66  as their  health has  deteriorated and they cannot any longer repair the roads, be a bricklayer etc etc, and also  our health  of the nation has deteriorated  and more  people are  unwell  physically and  mentally. The  list goes  on. So  the govt suggestion  of reducing PIP, cash to vouchers , will hit many  people  hard. Not everyone is entitled to  means tested  benefits either, and will  totally fall  thru the  gap. Some  on  PIP, also  have IIB, and  that  is removed  if one  loses  their PIP. These changes will mean more  people  will be hit badly and have no  redress  to  deal with it. Big companies getting  bigger at the relentless  cost to  the  sick and  disabled. These are but a few  that  will  be  ignored and lost.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Fairynuf · 3 months ago
      @pusscatsmum I'm one of those who receive PIP and live abroad. I've been disabled for most of my life but managed to work til I was in my 50s (when my vision was also affected). Vouchers would be useless for me as we have none of the UK supermarkets where I live. I rely on PIP as I don't qualify for a state pension til I'm 67. My occupation pension was decimated by Truss...
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Lauren · 3 months ago
      @pusscatsmum Re. Voucher green paper consultation. I'm glad this is currently on hold due to election and was only at consultation stage. Hopefully this idea will be shelved shortly. 

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