Sir Stephen Timms published his interim review of Personal Independence Payments, finding that Personal Independence Payment is no longer fit for purpose and is failing to keep pace with how disability, health and work have changed over the past decade. 

Emily Holzhausen CBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK said:

"This time last year, Carers UK was campaigning to stop the proposals to reduce access to PIP, which would have seen over 150,000 unpaid carers losing their financial support as a result. It is therefore positive that the Timms Review interim report clearly acknowledges the vital links between PIP eligibility and financial support for unpaid carers.

"With 1.2m unpaid carers living in poverty in the UK, it is vital that the social security system works to support families with disabilities and unpaid carers, who have additional costs and are often living on low incomes. The recognition in the interim report that simply cutting PIP would put increased reliance on carers is also positive.

"The current system places a significant administrative and emotional pressure on carers, who often support those they care for throughout the PIP claiming process. Many carers report that the complexity of the process for claiming PIP, coupled with the need to repeatedly prove eligibility, can negatively impact their own wellbeing, ability to work and to provide unpaid care. The recognition that PIP is not working well in practice is therefore a welcome acknowledgement of a system in need of improvement. However, the overhauled system should not reduce support for families and access to carers' benefits."