We did it! PIP changes scrapped

We were clear from the start. These proposals for PIP risked pushing people with MS into poverty and worsening health outcomes. Together with our campaigns community, disabled people’s organisations and other charities we’ve stopped them in their tracks.

We did some calculations. We estimate that we prevented a loss of almost 100 million pounds a year for people with MS. If the PIP proposals were to go ahead, thousands of people with MS would have lost out on vital support.

Protecting PIP is a victory and we’ll celebrate this campaign win.

Charlotte Gill, our Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs, said:

The government has been forced to listen to disabled people at the eleventh hour. And that's thanks to people with MS who have sent thousands of emails, made hundreds of phone calls, and had countless conversations with MPs to make their voices heard.

This is how powerful we can be when our MS community campaigns together. But it doesn’t stop here.

What changes are the government making?

Changes to PIP scrapped

The government planned to tighten the PIP assessment criteria. The change would have required people to score 4 points in a daily living activity to get a PIP daily living award.

But they’ve confirmed that they won’t be taking this plan forward. It'll be removed from the Universal Credit (UC) and PIP bill (also known as the welfare bill).

Anyone claiming PIP will continue to be assessed under the current scoring criteria.

Review of the PIP assessment process

Sir Stephen Timms MP, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, will deliver a review of the PIP assessment process. The government says this will be ‘co-produced’ with disabled people and disability organisations. And will look at making the benefit ‘fair and fit for the future’.

It will begin this summer and is expected to conclude by autumn 2026. Importantly, the government have promised to not make any changes to PIP until after the review has been completed.

Proposed changes to Universal Credit

The government will continue plans to increase the base rate of UC for all claimants.

The government will still press on with their plans to cut the extra disability payment in UC for new claimants from April 2026. This is known as the Universal Credit Health element.

The cuts won’t affect ‘current’ UC health element claimants. This includes anyone who’s claiming this benefit before April 2026.

What happens next?

We’re relieved that the government are dropping some of their most catastrophic plans for PIP. Instead, they've committed to carrying out a review of PIP. This will be known as the Timms Review. And it‘ll happen before they make any future changes to PIP.

But we’re clear that this review will only be good enough if it’s independent, fair and includes disabled people. We’ll be campaigning to make sure the voices of people living with MS are heard in this review.

And we believe this bill still risks causing harm to disabled people. The government is continuing to push through cuts to those on UC who are unable to work. Reducing support for people receiving the UC health element will hit the poorest in our society the hardest. And force more people into poverty and worsen people’s health.

Let’s keep campaigning together

Now we’ve got PIP on the front pages, we can’t afford to lose momentum. We must keep working together to push for a welfare system that works for disabled people, not against them.

The government’s promised PIP review is an opportunity for us to make sure the government fixes PIP once and for all. By chipping in today, you can help us raise our voices louder. And campaign even harder to support everyone living with MS to live well.

We can’t run powerful campaigns without you. We’re stronger when we raise our voices together. Whether you’re sharing your views on social media, writing to your MP, or getting involved in co-production and sharing your stories.

But we also can’t campaign without your vital donations. They help us pay for the tech we use to build our campaigns. And the computers we use to send our emails and the placards we use to raise our voices.

Donate today

Today, we celebrate protecting PIP. Tomorrow, we begin the next steps for this crucial campaign.

We’re here for you

Despite the relief of this victory, we know the uncertainty has caused a lot of worry for many people with MS.

For someone to talk to right now, or any advice on benefits, our MS Helpline is here for you. You can call us on 0808 800 8000 or send us an email at [email protected].