Press release: Have your say: PIP review launches engagement programme for disabled people to get involved

In March 2026, the government's Timms Review of Personal Independence Payments (PIP) opened their Call For Evidence, allowing members of the public to submit their thoughts and experiences for consideration as part of the review. Now they have published an update and press release announcing the other means by which they will be collecting evidence as part of the review.

Extracts from Co-chair update, April 2026:

How the Review will gather evidence and engage widely 

It is very important to the steering group that the Review hear from many different perspectives. Our six-part evidence and engagement programme is designed to support people to take part in ways that work for them. This programme will comprise:

1. A Call for Evidence. Our Call for Evidence is already underway. The steering group’s thinking will be informed by the responses received. 
2. Existing data and research. The steering group will consider existing qualitative and quantitative research from the disability sector, experts, and government, so that its work is grounded in a broad base of evidence. 
3. New quantitative survey research. The steering group has commissioned a representative quantitative survey on topics for which the existing evidence base is limited or further insight is needed, working with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). 
4. Workshop in a box. The steering group will create resources for organisations to run workshops on the Review. These workshops will allow us to capture more in-depth qualitative insights on people’s lived experience of disability and PIP across the UK. 
5. Evidence sessions with experts. The steering group will hear evidence from experts, including people with lived experience of disability and/or relevant professional expertise. The group will consider which experts it wants to engage with and how best to do so, providing an opportunity for deeper, targeted engagement on specific topics. 
6. Deliberative events. Later in the year, a series of deliberative events will be held across the UK to test ideas, explore trade-offs, and refine the Review’s recommendations. 

The steering group believes that using this mixture of methods is essential to the success of the Timms Review. Giving individuals and organisations a variety of ways to take part will help us to reach more people, hear a wider range of perspectives, and build a stronger evidence base for the Review’s recommendations. More details on these methods will be shared in future updates. 

The ME Association has been following the development of the Timms review closely over the past year (see below for previous coverage). It is vitally important the the views of people with ME/CFS and Long Covid are heard throughout this review. You can find links below to submit your evidence.

More Information:

Timms review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP): Call for Evidence | March 19, 2026

Welfare reform round-up: new independent disability panel, applications opening soon | August 22, 2025

Welfare Reform: When Promises Clash with Practice: What Stephen Timms Didn’t Say About Co-Production | August 5, 2025