By Linda Howard
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced no changes will be made to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) until a review of the current assessment process has been completed. Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms will co-produce the review with disabled groups and charities, which is expected to be completed next year. Sir Stephen announced the climbdown in the middle of the debate on the legislation in Parliament on Tuesday. He acknowledged 鈥渃oncerns that the changes to PIP are coming ahead of the conclusions of the review of the assessment that I will be leading鈥. Sir Stephen said the UK Government would now 鈥渙nly make changes to PIP eligibility activities and descriptors following that review鈥, which is due to conclude in the Autumn of 2026. However, the move will cause a headache for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has seen a forecast 拢4.8 billion saving from the welfare budget whittled away through a series of concessions, leaving her to seek extra money through spending cuts, tax hikes or borrowing to balance the books at the Autumn Budget. The Resolution Foundation鈥檚 chief executive Ruth Curtice said the concessions meant the reforms would now make no 鈥渘et savings鈥 in 2029/30 – a key year for Ms Reeves鈥檚 fiscal targets – even if they did reduce costs in the longer term. The decision to remove the PIP changes from the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill was announced just 90 minutes before MPs voted on Tuesday night. The legislation cleared its first hurdle by 335 votes to 260, majority 75. Despite the late concession, there were 49 Labour rebels, the largest revolt so far of Sir Keir Starmer鈥檚 premiership. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall insisted the Labour Party was 鈥100 per cent鈥 behind the Prime Minister, but acknowledged there were 鈥渓essons to be learned鈥 after the rebellion. She also appeared to express regret over the handling of the issue, saying: 鈥淚 wish we had got to this point in a different way.鈥 But Ms Kendall also insisted it was 鈥渞eally important we passed this Bill鈥, saying: 鈥淲e need to make changes, because too many people have been written off, are left to a life on benefits, when being in good work is so important.鈥 The UK Government must abandon its 鈥渦nfair鈥 welfare reforms in the wake of its late climbdown on a key plank of the proposals, Scotland鈥檚 Social Justice Secretary has said. Under Scotland鈥檚 devolved social security system, PIP is currently being replaced by the Adult Disability Payment. Reacting to events at Westminster, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville reiterated the Scottish Government鈥檚 pledge not to cut that benefit. Ms Somerville said: 鈥淒espite the panicked, last-minute concessions they have made, if the UK Government presses ahead with cuts to disability support they will plunge more people into poverty. That is unconscionable. 鈥淭heir approach also risks creating a deeply unfair two-tier system, pushing the impact of cuts onto future applicants for disability benefits. 鈥淭he UK Government needs to stop balancing the books on the backs of some of the most vulnerable people in society. 鈥淭hey need to properly listen to the overwhelming criticism their proposals have generated and do the right thing by disabled people by abandoning this bill entirely. 鈥淚 want to reassure disabled people in Scotland, that the Scottish Government will not cut Scotland鈥檚 Adult Disability Payment, we will not let disabled people down as the UK Government has done.鈥 Charlotte Gill, head of campaigns and public affairs at the MS Society, said: 鈥淲e thought last week鈥檚 so-called concessions were last minute. But these panicked 11th hour changes still don鈥檛 fix a rushed, poorly thought-out Bill.鈥 But Jon Sparkes, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said: 鈥淭he last-minute change relating to the review Sir Stephen Timms is leading sounds positive and we are pleased that the Government has listened.鈥 He added: 鈥淒isabled people should not have to pay to fix black holes in the public finances.鈥 The Government鈥檚 concessions have gutted the reforms, leaving only parts of the current Bill still on the table. Proposals to cut the health element of Universal Credit by almost 50 per cent for most new claimants from April 2026 remain in place, along with an above-inflation increase in the benefit鈥檚 standard allowance. In an earlier climbdown, Work and Pensions Secretary Ms Kendall said existing recipients of the health element of Universal Credit, and new claimants with the most severe conditions, would have their incomes 鈥渇ully protected in real terms鈥.