Number of people claiming key disability benefit hits record high

The number of people claiming Personal Independence Payments (Pip) in England and Wales has hit a record high, according to new government figures.

As of July, just over four million people were entitled to claim the benefit, compared to 3.83 million the previous year, an increase of 7%, data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed.

Pip is designed to support people with the extra costs of being disabled or living with long-term physical or mental health conditions, and eligibility is not affected by a person's income or savings.

In July, Sir Stephen Timms, who is leading a review on Pip, said in his interim report that the system was "not fit for purpose".

Of the 4.1 million claimants, those aged 50 and above accounted for more than half.

Just under three in ten were aged 30 to 49, while 17% of claimants were aged 16 to 29.

Pip seeks to offset the extra costs that can occur for those living with certain long-term health conditions.

According to the charity Scope, the extra cost of being disabled – known as the disability price tag – has reached more than £1,100 a month.

Pip has been in the spotlight since the summer of 2025 when the government, led by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, proposed reforming and tightening eligibility criteria for the benefit as the cost of running the system increased.

Spending on Pip stood at £16.3bn in 2019-20, when adjusted for inflation to today's prices, and had increased to £27.3bn by 2024-25, government figures showed.

It is currently forecast to rise to £41.5bn by 2030-31.

But dozens of Labour MPs expressed concerns about the plans and, fearing its own members would vote down the reforms, the government U-turned.

Instead, it commissioned a review into Pip led by Sir Stephen, the minister for social security and disability, to make recommendations that would make it "fit and fair for the future".

The interim report published in the summer said the system had become a barrier to work for many, and the process of applying for it was found to be "dehumanising".

Under the current assessment system, a health professional scores claimants on everyday tasks such as washing, getting dressed and preparing food using a zero to 12 scale.

Earlier this month, the review's "emerging recommendations" suggested more face-to-face assessments would take place, and while cash payments would remain the foundation, there would also be non-cash support available.

The Timms review is expected to be published in full later this year.