29 05 2026 – The Women’s Regional Consortium has today submitted its response to the UK Government’s Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), calling for urgent reform that protects disabled people from hardship and recognises the disproportionate impact of any changes in Northern Ireland.
Drawing on direct engagement with women across Northern Ireland, the Consortium highlights serious concerns about proposals that could reduce financial support for disabled people and emphasises that PIP plays a vital role in enabling disabled people to live independently and participate in society, particularly as disabled households face significantly higher living costs, often exceeding £1,000 per month more than non-disabled households.
Disproportionate impact in Northern Ireland
The Consortium stresses that Northern Ireland must be treated differently in any reform process due to its unique social and economic context. The region has the highest rate of disability benefit uptake in the UK, with 18.3% of the population receiving disability support. With over 229,000 people currently receiving PIP and long assessment delays averaging 18 weeks, the system is already under significant pressure.
The response also highlights the legacy of conflict, higher rates of mental ill-health, and long healthcare waiting lists as key factors that intensify need in Northern Ireland.
System failing claimants
The Consortium raises serious concerns about the current PIP assessment process, describing it as stressful, inaccessible, and often inaccurate. Evidence shows high levels of successful appeals, around 65%, indicating systemic problems in decision-making. Women involved in the Consortium’s research reported that the process causes fear, anxiety and distress and can negatively impact health and wellbeing.
Gendered impact on women
The response warns that women will be disproportionately affected by any cuts to PIP. Women are more likely to:
- Rely on social security
- Provide unpaid care
- Experience poverty and economic inactivity
The Consortium highlights that removing or reducing support risks pushing more women into financial hardship, limiting their ability to work, and trapping some in abusive relationships due to financial dependence.
Call for a fairer system
The Women’s Regional Consortium supports calls for a new approach to disability support, including an Additional Cost Disability Payment (ACDP), co-produced with disabled people and rooted in dignity, fairness and the social model of disability.
Key recommendations include:
- A non–means-tested cash payment to cover the real costs of disability
- Replacing adversarial assessments with holistic, person-centred support
- Investing in social security as a driver of economic growth through local spending
- Ensuring reform reflects place-based realities in Northern Ireland
Economic case for investment
The submission also notes that cutting benefits would harm local economies, citing evidence that every £1 spent on benefits generates up to £1.77 in economic activity through local spending. Social security is not a drain on the economy, it is an investment that supports individuals, communities and local businesses.
Conclusion
The Women’s Regional Consortium is urging the UK Government to ensure that the Timms Review leads to a fairer, more compassionate system that reflects lived experience and protects those most at risk.
-ENDS-
