The hidden crackdown on PIP as benefit assessments get tougher
Securing disability benefits is getting harder for new applicants as assessors take a tougher approach, The i Paper can reveal.
The proportion of successful new claims for personal independence payments, known as PIP, has been steadily declining since April 2024, analysis of official Government figures shows.
Experts and insiders told The i Paper the downward trend is due to “harsher” assessments and that decisions were increasingly going against applicants.
The UK’s budget watchdog has revised down forecasted spending on working-age disability benefits by £1bn for 2030-31, although the wider welfare bill will still grow overall.
Shorts
The damning numbers behind the UK’s child obesity crisis
Obesity among children in England is on the rise, according to new data from the National Child Measurement Programme.
Caption: Who shall we choose? Photographer: PeopleImages Provider: Getty Images/iStockphoto Source: iStockphoto Copyright: www.peopleimages.com
Exclusive
2 min read
New data on childhood obesity
Some 10.7 per cent of children in Reception (ages four and five) are obese, which rises to 22.8 per cent for those in Year 6 (ages 10 to 11).
The new data means that when figures from the pandemic are removed, obesity in Reception is at its highest-ever level since records began.
Among children in Year 6, obesity is also higher than the previous year (22.2 per cent) and higher than pre-pandemic levels.
5 min read
Childhood obesity on the rise
1Overall, 1.1 million children were measured in state schools in England as part of the National Child Measurement Programme.
2The research found that 14 per cent of teenagers were active every day. In Finland, 28 per cent are active and in Canada, 25 per cent.
3Obesity in the most deprived regions is also more than double the most affluent areas both for Reception (14.2 per cent compared to 6.9 per cent) and Year 6 (30.3 per cent compared to 13.9 per cent).
A ‘gulf in children’s health’
“Today’s data shows worsening childhoodobesity levels and that the gulf in children’s health between those living in deprived versus wealthy areas has widened.”
Anna Taylor, executive director of the Food Foundation charity
Caption: BIRMINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – JULY 27: A reduced price deal is seen advertising chocolate confectionery in a shop on July 27, 2020 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The British government plans to more strictly regulate how sugary and high-fat foods are sold and advertised, including a ban on “buy one get one free” promotions for unhealthy foods. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Photographer: Christopher Furlong Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe
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Five things will happen now that Trump has lost Congress
Caption: President Donald Trump speaks at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Photographer: Alex Brandon Provider: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Source: AP Copyright: Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Miles Taylor
Former chief of staff of the US Department of Homeland Security
American voters just delivered a once-in-a-generation rebuke of a sitting president and his movement. Here are five things that will happen now Trump has lost Congress…
Midterm results
The Democrats made sweep victories in the midterm elections taking states such as Texas, Maine and Michigan to regain control of Congress.
Democrat supporters in Texas celebrate the victory of their Senate candidate James Talarico (Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty)Caption: OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS – NOVEMBER 03: Supporters of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton celebrate during an election-night watch party at the Marriott Kansas City Overland Park on November 03, 2026 in Overland Park, Kansas. Hamilton defeated U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) in an upset, becoming the first Democrat to win a Senate seat in the solid red state since 1932. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images) Photographer: Jim Vondruska Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images North America
I was in the White House the last time Trump lost part of Congress, in the 2018 midterm elections. Here’s what to expect out of Washington in the weeks and months ahead.
Five things that will happen
1Trump will axe members of his administration. His chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, are in the firing line.
2Democrats will gear up for the biggest investigations in Congressional history.
3The companies and firms that cosied up to Trump will have to explain their decisions under oath.
4Before Democrats officially take power, Republicans will start to abandon Trump.
5Trump will re-focus on foreign policy.
world – explained
The results that reveal Trump’s historic humiliation
Democrats have taken control of both chambers of Congress after momentous US midterm elections that will tip the balance of power in Washington DC and shape the rest of Donald Trump’s presidency. The results represent a humiliation for the President, who had asked Republicans to vote as if he was on the ballot.
Watch more from The i Paper
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The ways HMRC will be able to raid your bank account
Caption: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 28, 2026: Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey holds the red Budget box outside 11 Downing Street ahead of the announcement of the Autumn Budget in the House of Commons in London, United Kingdom on October 28, 2026. (Photo credit should read Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Photographer: Wiktor Szymanowicz Provider: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publis Source: Future Publishing Copyright: ? 2026 Wiktor Szymanowicz
Adam Forrest
Scotland Correspondent
New debt recovery powers allowing banks access to accounts could be a “sledgehammer” leaving some people struggling to pay their bills, warn tax experts.
Healey’s plan
John Healey’s plan to let HMRC raid bank accounts over unpaid taxes has sparked fears it could push some people into financial hardship.
Experts said the figures highlighted how parts of the tax system were ‘still struggling to keep pace with a digital economy’ (Photo: coldsnowstorm/Getty)The Chancellor said he’s giving HMRC ‘stronger powers to collect overdue tax from those who can clearly afford to pay, but ignore repeated contact’ (Photo: Dylan Martinez/Getty)
The Chancellor revealed at the Budget that the tax authority will get stronger powers to collect overdue tax “from those who can clearly afford to pay”.
How HMRC will raid bank accounts
From July 2029, HMRC will be able to order banks to start taking regular deductions from a person’s current account to recover tax debt that is owed.
HMRC will also be able to recover money from a couple’s joint bank account to pay for just one partner’s debt.
“Eligibility verification measures” (EVMs) were issued last month, asking banks to identify claimants who may have undeclared savings or remain abroad longer than benefit rules allow.
These checks can be made on people receiving universal credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.
Issues with the new powers
Nimesh Shah, of tax firm Blick Rothenberg, told The i Paper the new powers could become a “sledgehammer” that will unfairly hit pensioners, people on low-incomes, and those with mental health issues.
Meanwhile, the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) is worried that non-engagement with HMRC may reflect genuine financial problems or difficulty understanding tax debt requests, rather than a refusal to pay.
Disability Rights UK said it is worried that the DWP could use EVMs to “undertake fishing exercises with absolutely no evidence of fraud”.
Big Read
4 min read
Only needed when necessary
“The Government is not interested in where people do their weekly shop or how much they’re spending on new clothes.”
Banks will only be asked “to identify if somebody may no longer meet the rules for the benefits they receive, allowing us to investigate further where necessary”, Lilian Greenwood, DWP minister for fraud and debt said.
From April 2027, pensions will form part of a person’s estate when IHT is calculated (Getty Images)
opinion
Who will actually be better off after this Budget? The i Paper writers’ verdicts
Following the Chancellor’s somewhat underwhelming Budget, The i Paper’s team of experts explain how it will affect your pocket.
news
How you ‘smart fridge’ could be hacked
Hackers could target smart fridges or smart metres in people’s homes, experts have warned, but hostile states would want cyber attacks to cause maximum disruption (Photo: Oscar Wong/ Getty)
Joe Duggan
Senior Reporter
Household appliances, energy meters and even microwaves are vulnerable to hacking from hostile states, experts have warned.
Here’s how…
Fridge hack
Hackers sent temperatures soaring in supermarket freezers across 10 countries on Tuesday – including Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Portugal and Sweden.
Caption: Empty fridges in a Supervalu store in Lucan, Co Dublin, with a sign saying some products are temporarily unavailable due to a technical issue. A suspected cyber attack has affected refrigeration systems in 13 SuperValu stores, leading to food being thrown out. Picture date: Monday November 2, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Damien Eagers/Press Association Photographer: Damien Eagers Provider: Damien Eagers/Press Association Caption: Over the shoulder view of young woman using virtual assistance on smartphone to track fridge inventory, suggest recipes and handle grocery delivery. Smart home and smart living. Photographer: Oscar Wong Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
The incident occurred three weeks after an unprecedented cyber attack caused French freezers to heat to 50°C, spoiling millions of euros worth of food.
How was the attack carried out?
Older internet remote-control boxes that manage refrigeration were targeted with an automatic defrost function, triggering dozens of shops, including IKEA.
Security experts believe a state actor like Russia may be to blame for the attacks, which also affected fridges in a small number of British businesses.
While state-linked attackers are more likely to target supply chains or national infrastructure to cause maximum disruption, experts are now calling for homeowners to reconsider if they need appliances that connect to the internet and action from government.
5 min read
Warnings from the Government
Caption: Empty fridges in a Supervalu store in Lucan, Co Dublin, with a sign saying some products are temporarily unavailable due to a technical issue. A suspected cyber attack has affected refrigeration systems in 13 SuperValu stores, leading to food being thrown out. Picture date: Monday November 2, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Damien Eagers/Press Association Photographer: Damien Eagers Provider: Damien Eagers/Press Association Copyright: Press Association
Millions have ‘smart fridges’
A YouGov poll last year showed more than two million Britons have smart fridges.
Labour MP
MP Graeme Downie said people in the UK should reconsider the connected appliances in their homes.
Shopping carts with food that is spoiled after freezers and fridges were emptied at the ICA Kvantum supermarket in Sjöbo, Sweden, after a hacker attack raised the temperature in the freezers to 50°C (Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty)
Downie warned against the use of smart cellular modules that can connect to the internet or mobile network.
What else is vulnerable?
Luke de Pulford, the co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which monitors the threat from Beijing, said any firmware in devices that requires remote software could be vulnerable to hacking from a foreign-based entity.
John Healey announced measures he said would ease the pressure of rising energy bills for families (Photo: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire)
“Energy smart meters, microwaves, smart TVs – those are all things that are vulnerable. But also Chinese-made CCTV equipment. These are all devices that are well known to be vulnerable,” he said.
News
Taking pets abroad may be about to get easier – here’s why
Lavish attention on your pets (Photo: Chalabala/Getty/iStockphoto/JAROMIR CHALABALA)
Pet owners are likely to get easier access to the European Union for their pets under a new UK-EU agreement, it has been reported.
Pet passports
Pet passports will be revived under a new UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement due to be agreed ahead of a joint summit The Times reports.
Caption: European Unsion – EU-flag in the blue sky Photographer: fhm Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF Copyright: Frank Herrmann Andy Burnham holds bilaterals on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, at the American University of Antigua in Osbourn, Antigua and Barbuda, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Kin Cheung/Pool via REUTERS Photographer: Kin Cheung Provider: via REUTERS Source: Pool
Post Brexit, pet owners paid £200 to obtain an animal health certificate in order to take them abroad. Under the proposed deal, pets will now be a given a passport.
New deals with the EU
1Travellers will be able to bring their dogs, cats, and ferrets into EU territory for the duration of their lifetime without the need for expensive certificates. This will be implemented from 2028.
2UK ministers also hope to agree a deal to give car manufacturers access to the EU’s Made in Europe scheme.
3The EU is also looking to agree a youth mobility scheme allowing up to 100,000 Europeans to work aand study in the UK a year. Separately, Brussels is also looking for a reduction in tuition fees for EU students.
politics
UK may have to accept almost 100,000 young Europeans a year to unlock Brexit deal
Prime Minister Andy Burnham meets with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday in New York City (Photo: Toby Melville/Getty Images)
British negotiators think they can strike a youth mobility agreement with the EU while staying under the “psychologically important” figure of 100,000 visas, The i Paper can reveal.
Why Rice Krispies is no longer made from whole grain rice
Kellogg’s has removed rice grains from its Rice Krispies and Coco Pops cereals after “changing weather conditions” affected the quality and availability of the ingredient, the firm has said.
Kellogg’s has donated tens of thousands of boxes of Rice Krispies and Cornflakes to the charity this year (Photo: Getty)
New formula
Rice Krispies has been reformulated to use rice flour instead of rice, while Coco Pops now contains a blend of rice flour and corn flour in place of rice.
Caption: Home food supplies for quarantine and isolation, including canned food, cereals pasta and essential staples for survival, survival during military operations, the concept of stay at home Photographer: pundapanda Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto Caption: TARPORLEY, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 05: Wheat waits to be harvested in a field in Cheshire on August 05, 2026 near Tarporley, United Kingdom. The UK’s National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has warned that Britain could face food shortages amid record low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures this growing season. Half of England and all of Wales have been officially declared in drought, as a fourth heatwave takes its toll on parts of the country. The NFU has urged the government to offer farmers tax breaks to build water storage systems to help cope with water supply shortages. Meanwhile, supermarket bosses have called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to urgently introduce a “Good Food Bill” aimed at improving the UK’s food security, as Britain and Europe face the challenges of an increasingly hotter and drier climate for food production. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Photographer: Christopher Furlong Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Under the new recipes, the cereals now also contain wheat gluten, meaning they are no longer suitable for shoppers with a wheat allergy or coeliac disease.
Kellogg’s spokeswoman:
“This recent change helps us maintain consistent quality at a time when changing weather conditions are affecting the quality and availability of some of the rice and grains used in our cereals.”
The change in formula comes after this year’s El Niño weather phenomenon caused widespread droughts, floods and heatwaves across much of Asia where most of the world’s rice comes from.
Caption: TARPORLEY, UNITED KINGDOM – AUGUST 05: Wheat waits to be harvested in a field in Cheshire on August 05, 2026 near Tarporley, United Kingdom. The UK’s National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has warned that Britain could face food shortages amid record low rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures this growing season. Half of England and all of Wales have been officially declared in drought, as a fourth heatwave takes its toll on parts of the country. The NFU has urged the government to offer farmers tax breaks to build water storage systems to help cope with water supply shortages. Meanwhile, supermarket bosses have called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to urgently introduce a “Good Food Bill” aimed at improving the UK’s food security, as Britain and Europe face the challenges of an increasingly hotter and drier climate for food production. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Photographer: Christopher Furlong Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Watch more from The i Paper
Less money than previously expected will be spent on PIP in particular, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) revealed in its October forecast.
This is because “a much lower proportion of these [PIP] claims are being awarded after assessment compared to previous years”, the OBR said.
Decline in successful PIP claims
Benefits advisers and experts claim assessors are also facing pressure from managers to review – and potentially reduce – the points awarded to PIP applicants, which determine their eligibility for the benefit. They also say disabled people are often being awarded fewer points if they are able to work.
This month, ministers will set out how the Government intends to overhaul PIP as it faces growing pressure to cut welfare spending. Stephen Timms – the disability minister leading the review – has said the benefit is “not fit for purpose”.
The proportion of successful claims for PIP has fallen, the latest figures from the Department from Work and Pensions (DWP) show.
The proportion of new PIP claims resulting in an award after an assessment has decreased from 48 per cent to 42 per cent when compared to last year.
Analysis by The i Paper shows a steady decline in success rate since April 2024, when 54 per cent of new PIP claims were granted.
“It’s definitely getting more difficult to make a successful claim,” said James Merrell, a former PIP assessor who worked for a company contracted to carry out assessments from 2023 to 2024.
“The assessment process seems to set people up to fail,” added Merrell, who now advises PIP claimants going through appeals at tribunal. “The emphasis is on finding why someone doesn’t merit points [for a PIP award].”
Around 4.1 million people currently receive PIP, worth up to around £800 a month to support both their daily living needs and mobility.
Assessors ask a series of questions about how well someone can function with tasks such as washing, dressing and preparing food, aimed at working out how much help they need.
Eight points are needed to qualify for the basic rate of PIP, while 12 points qualifies them for the higher rate.
Protests were held against benefit cut last year, with plans scrapped under Keir Starmer (Photo: Lab Ky Mo/SOPAImages/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Managers at firms contracted to carry out assessments are asking assessors to review their points recommendations more often, said Merrell. “The number of times it can be sent back to the assessor is becoming a problem,” he said.
“The pressure is to reduce [points]. You can see the back and forth [between manager and assessor] multiple times in a case. It’s happening more often – you can see it in tribunal cases.”
Assessors have also become less flexible when it comes to judging fluctuating conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or the chronic pain disorder fibromyalgia, Merrell added.
PIP system ‘getting harsher’
Dylan Thomas, a pastor who supports PIP claimants at appeal tribunals, said he had noticed an under-the-radar shift toward more difficult assessments. “The system appears to be getting harsher,” he said.
In some cases, having a job, even a part-time role, is resulting in a cut to existing awards for some claimants, he said.
“Assessors seems to be saying, ‘They’re working, therefore they can’t possibly be as ill as they say’,” Thomas said.
Michelle Cardno, founder and advocate at Fightback4Justice, a non-profit organisation providing advice on benefit claims and appeals, said: “We have seen a noticeable deterioration in PIP decision-making this year.
“We are also seeing more disabled people refused PIP where their employment appears to count against them,” said Cardno. “PIP is not an out-of-work benefit, and employment alone should never be grounds for refusal.”
Pressure to cut welfare bill
Although the OBR has downgraded its forecast for spending on disability benefits by £1bn compared to its March forecast, the overall bill is still expected to increase.
Spending on disability benefits – including PIP, disability living allowance and attendance allowance – is set to rise from £50.2bn in 2026-27 to £65.9bn by 2030-31.
Disability minister Sir Stephen Timms (left) is leading the PIP review, with reforms set to be overseen by Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden (Photos: PA)
Despite the fall in the proportion of successful PIP claims, the overall number seeking the disability benefit is still on the rise. The number of registered PIP claims increased 17 per in the past year, DWP figures show.
Thomas puts this increase down to the damaging health impact of Covid and improved diagnosis of mental health conditions. Some people may also be making claims for the first time because they are aware of the possibility that ministers could restrict eligibility after the Timms Review, he said..
“I think some people who are struggling [with health problems] but have been reluctant to go through an assessment are thinking that if they can’t get it now they never will,” said Thomas.
Timms, the disability minister, has acknowledged that PIP assessments can be “demeaning” and have not “kept pace with changing understanding of health and disability”.
Planned reforms could “enable PIP to do a better job” to support more people into work, he has also said. But is not yet clear how the Government might tie PIP to job searches or training for the first time.
His review is also looking at whether the system can direct people towards help “in addition to or, in some cases, perhaps instead of a cash payment”.
Andy Burnham has said Labour would cut the welfare bill “as soon as we possibly can” but he does not want “crude cuts”. Instead, he plans to reduce spending over time through better employment support.
A DWP spokesperson said the interim Timms Review had made clear that PIP “is no longer fit for purpose” and the final report “will lay the foundation for sustainable reform”. They added: “We have also more than doubled face-to-face assessments for PIP and have extended the PIP award review period while removing unnecessary pressure on disabled people.”
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