Disability Benefits System in England and Wales to Be Redrawn, Review Will Find

A landmark government review of personal independence payments will conclude that disability benefits in England and Wales are "not fit for purpose" and that the entire assessment system must be redrawn, The Guardian reported.

According to the report, the review by disability minister Stephen Timms—commissioned after Keir Starmer's U-turn on welfare cuts—will conclude that the points-based assessment system is in effect worthless because of the rising number of new conditions, particularly relating to mental health, that can fluctuate considerably in severity. The review will also find that the assessment process is dehumanising for disabled people and that the system actively hinders people from seeking work.

The Guardian understands the Timms review has been prepared in collaboration with disabled people and charities and is expected to be released in two parts. The interim review is expected this week, followed by recommendations on the new system's design this autumn.

The conclusions make it likely the government will explore much more root-and-branch welfare reform rather than pursue a harsher points-based system. The Department for Work and Pensions declined to comment on the interim report.