DWP quietly changes rules for PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance

DWP quietly changes rules for PIP, Attendance Allowance, Carer's Allowance A senior DWP official said the previous process was 'nonsense' Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments By Nicholas Dawson , Finance Reporter 06:05, Sat, Nov 7, 2026 DWP senior official Neil Couling talking to the Work and Pensions Committee (Image: UK Parliament) Senior officials from the DWP have spoken to MPs about changes to PIP (Personal Independence Payment) and other disability benefits.

The top civil servants spoke about the reasons for the long wait times that some claimants face. The Work and Pensions Committee spoke to representatives of the department about their work. One question they asked the DWP was about the time it takes for new PIP claims to be processed. The number of claims sorted out "in a timely manner" increased from just over 60 per cent in 2024/2025 to just over 80 per cent in 2025/2026. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT But the department has also increased the timeframe for what counts as a timely resolution, from 75 days to 120 days.

The officials were asked why the goalposts had been shifted. 'No standards' In response, Neil Couling, director general of DWP Services and Fraud, said it was his decision to grant the extra leeway. He explained: "When I came in to start my job in April 2025, I looked across and there were not standards for producing timely benefit awards. The PIP one was nonsense. Get personal finance news, money saving tips and advice plus selcted offers and competitions I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family .

Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . "Basically, I could have played that target—I know how to play targets as well as set them. I could have done 75 per cent of the cases and left the others, and I would have hit that target and you would all be saying, 'Well done.

You're hitting that target.' Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "So I set a 90 per cent target across all the major benefits in my area. Carer's Allowance, Attendance Allowance , DLA and child benefit all got 90 per cent targets. That is because you cannot game a 90 per cent target—I am an old operator here, so I know how to sort these systems out. It was not about moving the goalposts; it was about having goalposts that worked." Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Six-month waits The MPs also said that in some cases, the wait time for processing a disability benefit claim is currently up to six months, asking the officials if this is an "acceptable" wait time.

Mr Couling said there are good reasons why it can take so long. He told the committee: "The process involves assessment. The committee has rightly—I applaud it for this—talked about the importance of handling vulnerable people carefully, and with sensitivity and humanity, in this process. Russell Brand just gave Labour a big problem - Miliband and Burnham’s silence is deafening HMRC confirms £200 charges for UK households after tax rule change "Fifty per cent of assessments are not turned up at—people fail to attend, often for good reasons.

We allow lots of 'failed to attend' circumstances in the process, because of this vulnerability." He said that as such, most of the wait time "is taken up in the assessment process and trying to make sure that we do not rush to an assessment". PIP changes coming up The Government is undertaking a major review of the PIP system . DWP minister Sir Stephen Timms is co-chairing the study, looking at what needs to change about the benefit. PIP supports people of working age who live with a long-term health condition or disability, to help pay for their extra costs.

You get varying levels of payments depending on how you are impacted by your condition in your daily life and mobility. The review team is set to publish its final report with a list of recommendations to the Government in November 2026. Ministers will then prepare a white paper and legislation to enact whatever policy changes they decide are needed for the benefit, which will come out next year. See more of the stories you love from Daily Express and find us easily in Google by making us a Preferred Source.

Free and easy-to-do, just click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. PIP DWP Benefits Disabilities Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Add us as preferred source Comments