Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has updated (a) internal guidance, (b) decision-maker scripts, (c) assessor training materials and (d) scoring matrices used to assess the PIP mobility component since 1 January 2024.

There have been no substantive changes to departmental training or guidance materials relating specifically to the mobility component of Personal Independent Payment (PIP) since 1 January 2024. Departmental instructions are regularly updated to ensure they remain accurate.

The PIP Assessment Guide, and the PIP new entrant training for health professionals (HPs) who conduct assessments were updated in September 2024 to coincide with the start of the new Functional Assessment Service (FAS) contracts, and responsibility for all other HP training and guidance materials was also transferred into DWP at this time. All training and guidance material is currently undergoing a comprehensive review, with updates being made to ensure content is accurate and aligns with national best practice standards, and our policy intent.

There have been no changes to the criteria or thresholds used to assess entitlement to the PIP mobility component.

To ensure PIP is fair and fit for the future, the Government has launched the Timms Review. The Timms Review aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026.