Charity coalition urges government to honour promised co-production of disability benefits review

Leading anti-poverty and disability organisations, including Turn2us, Z2K, Amnesty International UK, Trussell, Mind, Disability Benefits Consortium, Rethink and more, have united to call for a genuine and transparent engagement with disabled people and those with lived experience of the social security system in the ‘Timms Review’ of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment. 

The coalition of national charities has written to the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, welcoming the government’s promise to co-produce the upcoming review of the PIP assessment with disabled people, organisations that represent them, and experts such as welfare advisers. 

However, the coalition warns that the review must go beyond consultation, fully including the views and voices of disabled people to begin to rebuild trust in the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). The letter outlines four key principles to ensure the review is genuinely inclusive, trusted, and effective: 

1. Broad and balanced representation – ensuring diversity across disability, lived experience of the social security system, and marginalised communities. 
2. Monitoring and evaluation - ongoing evaluation of the co-production process and an evaluation to be published before a debate on the review’s outcomes.  
3. Full transparency - publish a final report of the Review, including a comprehensive summary of the results of the engagement and consultation undertaken, which should be shared with MPs ahead of the general debate. 
4. Parliamentary scrutiny - a Commons debate on the review’s conclusions to approve the outcome of the review. 

Lucy Bannister, Head of Policy at Turn2us, said: 

“Development with people with experience of the social security system means Turn2us tools and programmes are much more effective and impactful. We’re therefore really excited by the government’s commitment to co-production in their review of the PIP Assessment. It presents a huge opportunity to take a big step towards a more effective, compassionate and enabling system.  

“However, to ensure the DWP continue to rebuild severely depleted trust, they must ensure co-production is thorough and transparent. We and many other organisations who have embedded co-production in our organisations will be happy to support them in this critical work.” 

Ayla Ozmen, Director of Policy and Campaigns at anti-poverty charity Z2K, said:  

"After months of uncertainty over the government’s plans for disability benefits, this Review is a vital chance for a reset. Our social security system should be there for all of us, especially when we need it most - but right now it’s failing too many disabled people.

"Co-producing the Timms Review with disabled people themselves is an important step towards rebuilding trust and fixing a system that isn’t working. To make this meaningful, the government must ensure the process is transparent, inclusive and genuinely shaped by lived experience - anything less will be a missed opportunity.”  

The letter highlights concern over past DWP processes, including the unlawful consultation on Personal Independence Payment and the limited parliamentary scrutiny of the recent Universal Credit Bill, both of which eroded confidence among disabled people and welfare rights advocates. 

The coalition is urging the DWP to treat this review as an exciting opportunity to reset its approach to policymaking, not only for PIP, but for future reforms across the social security system. 

Read the full letter here.