Exclusive:Senior minister says Labour welfare rebels had 'compelling logic' over Pip review
A senior minister has revealed the possible outline for the long-awaited review of personal independence payments.
Social Security and Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms was speaking to The Yorkshire Post from the Christians Against Poverty head office in Bradford.
Sir Stephen revealed he had been collating feedback for the Pip review, which will assess the main payment to support the higher cost of living for people with disabilities.
“There is a review of Pip and we’ve had some conversations about that,” he said.
“We’re going to be working out over the next month or so how we’re going to take that review forward.
“That’s going to be co-produced with disabled people. We’ve got to plan how we’re going to deliver that and that will be concluded by the autumn of next year.”
The review was originally going to take place after the Government’s welfare reforms, which was one of the key problems for the Labour rebels which brought down the legislation.
In the end, Sir Keir Starmer pledged not to make changes to Pip until after Sir Stephen’s review.
Sir Stephen admitted “there was quite compelling logic” to this viewpoint.
“What I think we’re likely to do is draw together a group of perhaps a dozen or so people to work with very closely and intensively over the next year or so,” he said.
“What we’ll need to do is make sure we have a wider group, potentially many thousands of people, to have their say and contribute ideas.”