Polly Billington

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

When published, the Land Use Framework will seek to address the delivery challenges faced by communities, businesses, developers, landowners and farmers when considering how to make the best use of their land. It will be a cross-Government strategic document, setting out the evidence, data and tools needed to protect our most productive agricultural land and identify the best areas for nature’s recovery, while making sure appropriate plans are made as to where to build 1.5 million new homes, and the energy infrastructure needed to achieve Clean Power by 2030.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

When published, the Land Use Framework will seek to address the delivery challenges faced by communities, businesses, developers, landowners and farmers when considering how to make the best use of their land. It will be a cross-Government strategic document, setting out the evidence, data and tools needed to protect our most productive agricultural land and identify the best areas for nature’s recovery, while making sure appropriate plans are made as to where to build 1.5 million new homes, and the energy infrastructure needed to achieve Clean Power by 2030.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

When published, the Land Use Framework will seek to address the delivery challenges faced by communities, businesses, developers, landowners and farmers when considering how to make the best use of their land. It will be a cross-Government strategic document, setting out the evidence, data and tools needed to protect our most productive agricultural land and identify the best areas for nature’s recovery, while making sure appropriate plans are made as to where to build 1.5 million new homes, and the energy infrastructure needed to achieve Clean Power by 2030.

New commercially viable freight-only or passenger-carrying services from ports have the potential to contribute positively to local, regional and national economies. The scale of impacts upon the economy and employment, upon other ports and upon congestion on the M20 and other roads, would depend on the nature, capacity and frequency of the service. Such a service could also contribute to national trade resilience overall.

New commercially viable freight-only or passenger-carrying services from ports have the potential to contribute positively to local, regional and national economies. The scale of impacts upon the economy and employment, upon other ports and upon congestion on the M20 and other roads, would depend on the nature, capacity and frequency of the service. Such a service could also contribute to national trade resilience overall.

New commercially viable freight-only or passenger-carrying services from ports have the potential to contribute positively to local, regional and national economies. The scale of impacts upon the economy and employment, upon other ports and upon congestion on the M20 and other roads, would depend on the nature, capacity and frequency of the service. Such a service could also contribute to national trade resilience overall.

New commercially viable freight-only or passenger-carrying services from ports have the potential to contribute positively to local, regional and national economies. The scale of impacts upon the economy and employment, upon other ports and upon congestion on the M20 and other roads, would depend on the nature, capacity and frequency of the service. Such a service could also contribute to national trade resilience overall.

The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Information on the volume of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants who received a standard Daily Living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities can be found in Table 1 below.

The number of people currently on PIP and did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to lose PIP. It’s important to make a clear distinction between the two, not least because we don’t want constituents to be unnecessarily fearful about their situation, when we understand many are already anxious.

No one will lose access to PIP immediately. The changes, subject to parliamentary approval, would be brought in from November 2026. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. Someone who didn’t score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment – not least as many conditions tend to get worse, not better, over time.

After taking account of behavioural changes, the OBR predicts that 370,000 people who will be receiving PIP at the point of implementation of the four point requirement in November 2026, will lose their PIP Daily Living entitlement by 2029/30. Of all PIP recipients at the point of implementation, 9 in 10 will not lose PIP during the subsequent 3 years from this change.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met. PIP is not based on condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.

We have launched a wider review of the PIP assessment which I will lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Even with these reforms, the overall number of people on PIP and DLA is expected to rise by 750,000 by the end of this parliament and spending will rise from £23bn in 24/25 to £31bn in 29/30.

Table 1: Volume of PIP claimants who are in receipt of the standard daily living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities

Source(s): PIP administrative data

Notes:

• Figures are for England and Wales only.
• Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1000.
• Data includes working aged claimants only.
• Data includes normal rules claimants only, and excludes special rules for end of life (SREL) claimants as they typically receive maximum or very high scores.
• Claimants with missing point scores have been excluded from the data.

Information on the proportion of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants who received a standard Daily Living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities can be found in Table 1 below.

There will be no immediate changes. Our intention is the changes will start to come into effect from November 2026 for PIP, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, no one will lose PIP without first being reassessed by a trained assessor or healthcare professional, who assesses individual needs and circumstance. Reassessments happen on average every 3 years. Someone who didn’t score 4 points in an activity in a previous assessment may well score 4 points in a future assessment – not least as many conditions tend to get worse, not better, over time.

Table 1: Proportion of PIP claimants who are in receipt of the standard daily living award rate and scored less than four points in all daily living activities

Source(s): PIP administrative data

Notes:

• Figures are for England and Wales only.
• Figures have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.
• Data includes working aged claimants only.
• Data includes normal rules claimants only, and excludes special rules for end of life (SREL) claimants as they typically receive maximum or very high scores.
• Claimants with missing point scores have been excluded from the data.

Further announcements on permitted development rights for domestic air source heat pumps will be made in due course.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a range of issues. Ministers in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will continue to work together to consider the interactions between the forthcoming Land Use Framework and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a range of issues. Ministers in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) will continue to work together to consider the interactions between the forthcoming Land Use Framework and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Ministers in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) regularly engage with each other to deliver the government’s priorities. Our departments will continue to work together to consider the interactions between the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.

This Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets and supporting the businesses and communities that make our town centres successful. The Chancellor confirmed at Autumn Budget 2024 that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme. This will include specialised support to communities during the delivery phase of the programme, learning from the support offered through the High Streets Task Force. Further information on the Long-Term Plan for Towns programme will be provided in due course.