Is the Timms review struggling to even get off the ground? We already know that the review is surrounded by secrecy, but Benefits and Work has now been informed that it is also mired in confusion as Timms tries to work out how to recruit members.
It had been assumed that Timms had spent the summer sounding out organisations to see who would be willing to sit on his review committee, before making a start on the review this month.
However, Benefits and Work has now been informed, though we are not able to independently confirm this, that Timms has yet to even finally decide how to go about recruiting members.
According to our source, Timms is now planning to have 12 members on the review committee, plus himself. People will have to apply to become part of the committee but Timms is aiming to have one of the chairs of the Regional Stakeholders Network (RSN) co-chair the review with him, to give it an air of independence.
The RSN is made up of nine regional networks of:
- local disabled people
- parents and carers of disabled people
- disabled people’s representative organisations
Their role is to ensure that “the voices and views of disabled people across England are at the heart of the work of the UK government.”
The chairs are all appointed by the Minister for Social Security and Disability . . . currently the Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms.
But it isn’t just attempting to appear impartial that is a problem for the review.
The biggest difficulty that the Timms review is facing is that it is now trying to do a job it was never intended to do.
Originally, the important work of slashing the disability benefits bill was to be done by the PIP 4-point rule. Timms role was mainly to work out how the PIP assessment could be used to replace the work capability assessment when it was abolished. Any other changes to the PIP scoring system which had the effect of cutting awards to different groups would have been a bonus, from the government’s point of view, but not crucial.
And there was no rush, with the WCA not due to be abolished until 2028/29.
However, the 4-point rule was killed off in the Commons at the very last minute and the government was also forced into agreeing that the Timms review should be co-produced.
Which means the Timms review has to somehow square the circle of appearing to genuinely involve disabled people in positive changes to the PIP eligibility and assessment rules, whilst also achieving Labour’s – now unspoken - ambition of cutting the cost of disability benefits.
And it has to do it fast. The results are now supposed to be in the hands of the secretary of state and ready to be actioned by Autumn 2026.
It is an impossible task and, if it is true that the review is already floundering, it’s no surprise.
But, we have no confirmation that these rumours are correct. So, if there’s anyone out there with inside knowledge who wants to set us straight, we’d be very happy to hear from you confidentially.
