Page last updated:  21 July, 2025

Summer 2026: Universal Credit Bill to become law

The Universal Credit Bill is now certain to become law by the end of the summer, after being subject to some very significant amendments which removed all matters relating to personal independence payment (PIP).  This means that the proposed 4-point rule, which would have restricted the PIP daily living component to claimants who scored a minimum of 4 points for one activity, has been abandoned.

However, this is just the start of years of proposed welfare reforms by the Labour government.

We’ve set out some of the major planned changes below.  Over the summer we will be creating a more detailed summary.

Autumn 2025:  Timms PIP assessment review begins work

At this point there is no certainty over whether Timms review of the PIP assessment relates to current claimants or only to new claimants, once the new assessment comes into force.

According to the terms of reference, the review will include will include consideration of:

  • The role of the PIP assessment.
  • The assessment criteria – including activities, descriptors and associated points. The review will consider both the Daily Living and Mobility elements of the PIP assessment.
  • Whether any other evidence should be considered alongside the functional assessment to fairly reflect the impact of living with a long-term health condition or disability, including related to an individual’s personal circumstances and environment.
  • How the PIP assessment could provide fair access to the right support at the right level across the benefits system.
  • What role the assessment could and should play in unlocking wider support

Timms says that he will “engage widely over the summer to design the process for the work of the review, including to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon.”

The actual work of the review will begin in the Autumn of 2025. At this stage we have no idea whether the review will share information about its work as it goes along or whether it will be kept confidential until its findings are handed over to the secretary of state in Autumn 2026.

Date TBC:  Pathways To Work  White Paper to be published. 

We don’t have a date for the white paper  yet.  It could be as early as Autumn 2025.  The white paper follows the Green Paper Pathways To Work consultation and should include proposals on:

  • Removing barriers to trying work
  • Supporting people who lose entitlement to PIP
  • Proposed Unemployment Insurance contributory benefit
  • Delaying access to the UC health element until age 22
  • Raising the age at which people can claim PIP to 18

Timms has said in his terms of reference for the review of the PIP assessment that the abolition of the WCA will also be in the white paper.

April 2026:  Universal Credit Act comes into force

The Universal Credit Act will introduce cuts to the UC health element for new claims, increases to the UC standard rate and the introduction of the severe conditions criteria as a means of deciding who gets the higher rate of the UC health element.

The UC standard allowance for new and existing claims will be increased. This will mean the single person 25+ rate of UC standard allowance increasing by £7 per week, from £91pw in 2024/2025 to £98pw in 2026/2027.

From April 2026, the LCWRA element (which the Green Paper calls the health element) for existing claimants will be frozen at £97pw until 2029/30, but claimants will benefit from the increased standard allowance.  However, the freeze to the universal health element will not to apply to:

  • existing claimants,
  • people who meet the severe conditions criteria
  • terminally ill patients.

For new claims from April 2026, the rate of the LCWRA element – now called the health element - will be reduced by £47pw, from £97pw in 2024/2025 to £50pw in 2026/2027. 

People on the health element of UC will be expected, as a minimum, to participate in periodic conversations about work and support (with exceptions where this would not be appropriate). If someone does not attend or engage in a planned conversation, the DWP will seek to understand the reasons before benefits are affected.  In other words, sanctions can be applied to people in this group.  However, the green paper says that "as now, we do not envisage the requirement on this group extending to undertaking specific work related activity or to look for work or take jobs."

Autumn 2026: Timms review of the PIP assessment given to the secretary of state

The government has said they want to introduce changes as quickly as possible after the Timms review is completed.  How soon they happen will depend on whether they require primary or secondary legislation or no legislation at all.  But some changes could come in as early as Spring 2027.

2026/27:  Right To Try Guarantee

The Green Paper says that the government will establish in law the principle that work will not lead to a reassessment. For people receiving UC, PIP (in England and Wales), or NS ESA (whilst and if it is in place), we will introduce legislation that guarantees that trying work will not be considered a relevant change of circumstance that will trigger a PIP award review or WCA reassessment. 

2027/28:  Delaying access to the UC health element until age 22

This is one of the issues that was consulted on in the Pathways To Work Green Paper.  We should have more details, including whether Labour intend to go ahead with the proposal, when the White Paper is published.

2028/29:  Abolition of the WCA

The work capability assessment (WCA) is the current test which gives access to the limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA) element of universal credit.

The LCWRA element of UC will be replaced for new claimants from April 2026 by the UC health element.

Then, from 2028/29, the WCA will be axed and eligibility for the UC health element will depend upon being in receipt of the daily living component of PIP.

According to the Green Paper, only 63% of people currently receiving the health element of UC or ESA are also in receipt of PIP or DLA.

There is currently no certainty about whether current LCWRA claimants who do not receive PIP daily living will be affected by the change.

2028/29: PIP/UC single assessment

At the same time as the WCA is abolished, the new PIP assessment that is created by the Timms review will be introduced, if it has not been introduced earlier. This single assessment will give access to both PIP and the health element of UC.

2028/29: New Unemployment Insurance contributory benefit

The Green Paper gave sketchy details of a proposal to replace New Style Employment and Support Allowance (NS ESA) and New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance (NS JSA) with one new Unemployment Insurance benefit. 

It will be paid at the ESA rate (currently £138pw) and will be time-limited. 

People claiming Unemployment Insurance will be expected to actively seek work with ”easments” for those with work-limiting health conditions. 

It is not clear how it will be decided if a claimant has a work-limiting health condition, as the WCA is being abolished.

After the, as yet unquantified, time-limit on Unemployment Insurance has expired, claimants will have to attempt to claim UC.

We should know more when the White Paper is published.

There is no certainty about how this proposal might affect current claimants.

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    I am confused by the washing section.
    0 points if you can’t wash waist down.
    0 points if you can’t wash hair.
    4 points if you can’t wash shoulders to waist.  
    I thought most people would struggle more with first two.
    Am I interpreting this all wrong?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Christine If you cant wash shoulders to waist surely you can't wash you hair either? This is ridiculous.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Christine Basically what they are saying is IF you are truly disabled then you won't be able to do the easiest part shoulders to waist. 
      In other words unless you are pretty much paralysed you won't be able to claim pip daily living as you won't get 4 points for any of the daily tasks
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Christine I don't know how the first 2 score 0 but the last is a 4 because that should be the easiest and if you can't do that you can't wash yourself at all. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    I am a pensioner receiving PIP. My scores were 2's. No 4's. I dont recieve mobility. I have a letter saying that I will not be reviewed until 2029. Does this mean I lose out from November 26 because of the rules change?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Augustus But is ongoing the same as indefinite? Let's be honest, if you have no 4's and no indefinite award, the chance are your award is going to be reviewed at some point and if no 4s then no daily living component.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Allan I should think that your review will change from 2029. Like my husbands
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Allan 4 points if you can't wash between shoulders and waist is because it's easier than washing below the waist ,if you can't do the easier one you obviously have bigger problems than if  you can't wash below the waist 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Augustus i hope this will be the case.mine is ongoing too,(enhanced both elements) 
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      · 4 months ago
      @Allan I’d double check by first checking if your award is considered ongoing. If so, it must be, like me, that it is thought that your condition(s) will never improve. And they have said that those in such a position will not, in future, be put through a review again.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    I wonder what will happen to those pensioners who are still on PIP, and would normally have a 10 year light touch assessment...?      When DLA was changed to PIP, pensioners were told they would now be left alone and require no more assessments, keeping their DLA.   Will the same thing happen here?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Dyanne
      Dyanne, I am a 77 year old pensioner still on D.L.A. indefinitely.  I was born before 8 April 1948.  Am sure that they will start on us older ones too.
      I hope not but it would appear that nothing is sacred now!
      I really do not know what will happen?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    So people on lcwra have now got to look for work? 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Db123 NO  no  no if u claim (lcwra now 2025 ) be frozen £416  to 2029 ish .  from 2026  we merge HELATH ELETNMENT UC ..  BUT POSS FROM 2028  contact perodic  dwp . MAY OFFER  guareetee work trial  VOLUNTARY  DONT HAVE EXCEPT / NO SANCTIONS if we dont   . BUT WE  do will have  have perodic contact  as when via journall / phone .  Unlike now  left alone as (lcwra) = unfit for work realated activity . 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Db123 @ Db123 - No
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Db123 yes and no. If you don't get PIP and score 4 points in one daily living, you won't get LCWRA. So you will be living off £400 a month, and that will force you back to work. But they can't "make" you go back
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Db123 NO  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    It will be interesting to see what happens when they try to merge the Contributory benefits because every time they tried to mess with them in the past they got bogged down in the International Agreements (and that was before the Brexit WA!).  People abroad cannot claim UC after any time limit ends and they are not supposed to discriminate against people living abroad.  They will have to have an exportable invalidity benefit for foreigners who have paid NI Contributions.   They are also not saying how people are going to be assessed for this new benefit once they axe the WCA, nor how they are going to assess those who are going to get the UC 'premium' for more severe illnesses.  It's all half thought through back of a fag packet stuff.  You really have to wonder if it's not all just spin so Reeves can save her own job by trying to keep the OBR quiet.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    My PIP renewal is due March 2026. I didn't score 4 on any descriptor for Daily Living, yet have an enhanced award. If my renewal award stayed the same and I didn't score 4 for any descriptor would I then need another assessment in November 2026 or would I be given the duration of my new award before being assessed under the new rules? 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    Where adaptions and aids were used in daily living , will this no longer count as it now only says assistance 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    How can our U.K. Parliament sit back and permit such changes without the DWP being consulted . This sounds like an inside behind closed doors green paper to cut costs to disabled as our government too much red tape to make curs elsewhere . The cost to this government in 2026 onwards by cutting  daily living applicants past or present will result in extreme high costs re tribunal hearings 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Michele Actually we haven't heard ANYTHING about if people have their pip cut that  they can then still have mandatory reconsideration and then a tribunal? No doubt there will be something popping up at some point that means we CAN'T do any of these. Think about it, they will use AI to do the screening which would be considerably quicker than humans going through all peoples pip records. The AI will log who doesnt have 4 points on at least one descriptor, then that tells DWP who to send letters to saying your pip will be cut and as you didn't get the 4 points minimum you can't have a mandatory reconsiderstion nor a tribunal as per the green paper. After all, they will be using AI to monitor bank accounts
       
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    test post
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    Does this mean that if you get PIP daily living now, but will lose it under the 4 point rule at the next assessment, you will then also automatically lose all the universal credit health element benefit?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Bern400 YES  for (NEW)   claims after 2028 (PROPOSED )    BUT OLDER  claims b4 2025 ( lcwra ) current  merge with health eletnment  2026 . WE GET FROZEN £416 TO 2029/ 2030 . 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Amber NOT  if you claim & get £416  lcwra mouth now  B4 2026  + basic uc + house eletnment  b4 2026   ////// if u only got pip no (lcwra ) uc now . LOSE  pip daily living  problem after 2028  BE ISSUIE      lcwra now 2025 merge 2026 called uc health eletnment  carry on get £416 frozen lcwra .   BUT  to get health eletnment after 2028 PROPOSED ONLY ATM  u have to be awarded  DAILY PIP  ELETNMENT   NO MORE WCA UC50 AFTER 2028 PROPOSED . 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Amber I think that’s a yes to your question , because they are going to use the pip 4 point as the gateway for the UC health element 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Liz when the WCA is scrapped, the health element (LWRCA) of UC will be assessed using the PIP daily living criteria  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Amber Yes and anybody caring for you will also lose their carer's allowance 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    I have recently been given an award for an Ongoing period, but without 4 points in one Section. 11 points across five Sections
    Will I be payed for ten years   
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Jenny NEW / REVEIW CLAIMS AFTER 2026     B4 THAT PIP OK 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Michele So everyone is going to be reassessed ?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Jayne It’s from November 2026 not this year. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Pete No you will be reassessed like everyone else whether your pip award was recent or old 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Pete I’m in the same situation as you I spoke to CSA they advised waiting until things were clearer but their view was reassessment of people without 4 points if passed by the government woukd mean from November of this year you would lose your entitlement even if your award was for 3/5/10 years with time to run. 
      And also once your pip daily living alliwance was revoked your eligibility for the WCA payment would also be reviewed. 
      So worrying for us all I feel and no real answers of what comes next or transition process 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    The article doesnt make sense ? says ' From April 2026, the UC health element will be frozen at £97pw until 2029/30.'
    Yet further reading says it will be '  to £98pw in 2026/2027' ... So is it going to be £97 or £98 from April 2026 ?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Confused YES  OLD CLAIMS  LCWRA   B4  APRIL 2026 FROZEN .  £416 MOUTH  £97/£98  WEEK  DEPENDS ON 28 WEEK/ 31 WEEK INMOUTH  TO 2029/ 2030  BUT  (NEW)  new claims from 2026- 2028, end wca  get lwr rate £50 week .  FROM  2026  lcwra / known health eletnment uc . FROM  april 2028  PROPOSED  wca go to get health eletnment on  uc NEW  claims  from 2028    pass pip assetnment daily living compound . 2026 & b4 old claims lcwra stay on £416 frozen mouth .
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Confused UC will be £98 and UC Health element or limited capability will be £97 .. I think 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    I'm really confused with all this. I'm on ESA and haven had a letter to go on Universal Credit yet. I've been told to wait until I get a letter then go over but that my money will be the same and then when everyone else's money goes up mine will go down. But if the support group bit of Universal Credit is being cut, will mine be cut to £50 a week Even though it's not my fault I've not moved over with being told to wait? Or if I'm on my same money as I am now how will my money go down when others go up every year when Universal Credit is being cut for a few years? Will I be on the same money for a few years with these changes or will it still go down every year? And will I be assessed for PIP earlier because my next PIP isn't for two years. And I don't know what they mean about the most severe disability. I've got a few disabilities but I don't know if they're classed as severe because I've had them all my life. Sorry I hope it makes sense. I've got a learning disability so I don't know if you can understand how my head has thought about things. I'm just going round in circles trying to understand what money I'm going to be on and worrying about everything because I'm not able to work 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Shelley Montgomery So...regarding TRANSITIONAL PROTECTION....You may NOT get the transitional protection element added to your UC. 
      I shall try and explain.
      If you was on ESA income based  AND ESA contribution based at the same time and also LWCRA it goes like this. You lose the income based esa and the is taken up by universal credit. 
      Contribution based esa is paid by esa and will be called new style esa. It is NOT at the same amount you were getting previously, but will still be paid the same way, as in every 2 weeks for example. 
      Your UC gives you 'amounts' which are added up to give you your UC allowance for the month. It then DEDUCTS your new style esa from the UC and what is left is yours for the month  after you also pay your housing costs.
      We were incorrectly told we were getting transitional protection. As my partner was going to be getting MORE UC than the allowances due to him getting new style esa also it meant that his transitional protection was scrapped from his element, so make sure you add all your elements together.
      I shall also tell you HOW they decide how much new style esa they deduct from your UC allowance each month.
      Firstly, look at how much they will tell you that your "new style esa" will be per week.
      For example mine is £154.60 per week.
      They then multiply that by 52 and then divide it by 12.
      Eg:   154.60 x 52 ÷ 12 = 669.93 
      So they then DEDUCT 669.93 from your UC allowance each month.
      The ONLY time you get transitional protection is IF you will have LESS money to live on than you originally did BEFORE migrating

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Bern400 Thank you for your reply. That's made me feel a bit better about things and has helped me to understand things better. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @J I have read your post as far as I am aware that if you move over to UC you have protected rights. If you are in the support group you will move over to all none related work activities. I believe your payments should be the same as you get now. I have received this information directly from them. By law that cannot pay you less than you get now. If you get reassessed that maybe this will happen. I don’t think you should to be reassessed if nothing changes or if it had they can reassess you on your PIP letter. I was reassessed last September over the phone for 3 hours extremely stressful. If you cannot go to a medical centre to have this assessment you can request it at home. Always record it and tell them before hand you are doing this. From experience the assessment it not carried out by a proper doctor and most don’t have experience in all medical issues. I do feel that these changes are not acceptable and hope the House of Lords and the courts change them. I feel extremely disappointed in the Labour Party. They are worse than the last lot.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Bern400 Great reply! Thank you for your clear answer! 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 4 months ago
      @Bern400 thanks very much. This is so helpful. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 4 months ago
    Interesting break down.. 

    Any leaked documents / information on the possible additional premium replacing 
    UC health element/support group payment 
    "will receive an additional premium.

    And people on new style ESA in the support group how are they effected. .. with 
    'a time limit 

    Otherwise it's a clear breakdown 
    Considering this green paper is only clear on cuts! cuts! 
    and no real answers on mitigating these loses!

    Just my twopence worth.. those with health issues not classed as likely to never improve.. it appears they will be time limited and assessed more often.. ..

    My thought with that is given there's already backlogs in assessing surly this would create more! 
    And DWP / private assessment companies aren't recruiting for help with the extra assessments this green paper appears will generate..

    This approach and attitude puts me in mind of when reading a few years ago of the American welfare assessment system were by claimants were facing from 3-5 years of backlogs .. and many benefit payments weren't paid till a decision was made!
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