Stop forcing terminally ill benefit claimants to prove illness, leading charities urge
A group of leading charities has called on the government to make significant changes to the system, saying people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses should not face “distressing” benefit reassessments.
A group of more than 30 organisations, convened by end-of-life charity Marie Curie, have written to disability minister Sir Stephen Timms, arguing that it should be easier for these claimants to receive permanent, “lifetime awards” for personal independence payment (Pip).
The senior Labor MP is currently leading a review into health and disability-related benefits claimed by nearly 4 million people, which wraps up the call for evidence this week. This was announced last July following a background threat of rebellion from Labor MPs over plans to cut Pip spending by changing ministers’ eligibility.
The current system has special rules for Pip candidates nearing the end of their lives when a doctor or medical professional has told them they have 12 months or less to live. This entitles them to a higher portion of the award for the rest of their lives, as long as they live no longer than three years before they can be reassessed.
But this should be extended to all people with terminal or life-limiting conditions, Amnesty International wrote in a letter reviewed by signatories including the Trussell Trust and Age UK. Independent. They propose a system that accelerates access to a higher lifetime Pip rate reward for these claimants, similar to the system already adopted in Scotland.
They point out that between February 2025 and 2026, 38 percent of those with the underlying condition Parkinson’s disease, 16 percent of those with dementia, and 9 percent of those with motor neuron disease were given time-limited rewards, even though these are all progressive, life-limiting diseases.
Over the same period, just 2 per cent of awards made to eligible claimants were changed following reconsideration, costing the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) £282 each.
Becca Stacey, Marie Curie’s senior policy manager for financial security, said: “Too many people living with terminal illnesses and progressive, life-limiting conditions are being forced to prove how bad they are, which is simply wrong.
“These reassessments rarely change the outcome, but they cause real distress and uncertainty at a time when people should be focusing on comfort, care and spending time with loved ones.
“The UK government now has a clear chance to fix this. Ending reassessments and introducing lifetime awards for people with terminal and progressive life-limiting conditions will create a fairer, more compassionate system that treats people with dignity.”
Sharing her experience with Marie Curie, one disabled person with severe emphysema said: “It’s not something I can recover from, but Pip stopped my allowance for 10 months, saying I wasn’t as bad as I said I was.
“Why aren’t chronic illnesses exempt from these extremely stressful and frustrating conversations? I’m going to die from emphysema, it doesn’t magically get better, it just gets worse.”
A DWP spokesman said: “Reforming the welfare system to better meet the needs of disabled people is a priority for this government.
“We are working closely with disabled people and organizations through the Timms Review to ensure the Pip is fair and fit for the future. We have launched a call for evidence, which will close today, and are beginning to carefully consider and analyze the responses, including reconsideration.
“We are also taking an important step to improve the system through new legislation that will reduce the frequency of reviews for many existing Pip customers.”
