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Spinal Injuries Association response to the publication of the Timms Review Interim Report
The Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) welcomes the publication of the interim report of the Timms Review into Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
For many people living with spinal cord injury, PIP is not simply a financial benefit. It helps meet the additional costs of living with a disability and supports people to live independently, participate in society and lead full and active lives.
The interim report recognises many of the challenges that disabled people have experienced for years, including the complexity of the current system, the burden of assessments and the importance of ensuring people are treated with dignity and respect throughout the process. Acknowledging these issues is an important step towards meaningful reform.
We also welcome the review’s commitment to genuine co-production. Disabled people and disability organisations have played a central role in shaping the evidence gathered so far, ensuring that lived experience sits at the heart of the review. Many people living with spinal cord injury shared their experiences, and we are grateful to everyone who took the time to contribute.
As an organisation, SIA has consistently called for a system that is fair, compassionate, and built around the realities of living with a disability. Any future reforms must continue to recognise the additional costs that disabled people face, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and place trust, dignity and independence at the centre of decision-making.
As this is an interim report, it is not intended to set out the final recommendations. We therefore look forward to the next stage of the review and to seeing today’s findings translated into practical reforms that improve the experience of disabled people while protecting the support they rely upon.
The publication of this report is an important milestone, but the true measure of success will be whether the final recommendations deliver a fairer, more accessible, and more person-centred system. SIA remains committed to working constructively with Government, disabled people and partner organisations to help achieve that goal.
As part of the Timms Review we are hosting a workshop for members of our community to share their views and experiences of PIP. The workshop will cover some topics that the Timms Review Steering Group want to know more about and is an opportunity for people in our community with direct experience of PIP to shape the review.