The government has confirmed the details of its scale-back scheme to improve health and disability benefits following the pressure of Labor MPs.

Work and Pension Secretary Liz Kendal said that changes in PIP (Personal Freedom Payment) would only apply to new contenders.

He also confirmed that the payment of the health-related elements of the Universal Credit to the current recipients (in the past is known as incompetence benefits) would no longer be frozen.

However, government Analysis On the influence of welfare reforms which are still planned that an additional 150,000 people will be terminated in “relative poverty” as a result.

The BBC Verify sees how many people claim these benefits and why there has been a significant increase in recent years.

In 2019, about three million working adults (aged 16 to 64) in England and Wales claimed either disability or disability benefits – 1 of the 13 population.

By March 2025, it was about 4 million or 1 out of 10 of the population, Research From the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).

This growth has been fuel by claimants citing mental health status.

As IFS data The ‘Mental and Behavioral Disorder’ category (which includes conditions like ADHD) took 44% of all claims in 2024 – above 39% in 2015.

IFS Research It also shows that 69% of the new 25-year-old claimants were mainly living with mental and behavioral disorders, while it was only for 22% of the new 55-year-old contenders.

Eligibility for PIP – an advantage that supports the disabled people of daily life -cost work – is determined through an evaluation.

Under the current assessment system, claimants are scored on a minus 12 scale by a health professional such as everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and preparing food.

Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, about three-fourths of these assessments were held face to face.

When the in -transparen assessment was suspended during the epidemic – for clear reasons – most were switched to telephone or video calls instead.

Although basically a temporary measures, these distance assessments have now become ideal.

Today, less than 10% of PIP assessment occurs in a person According to the government,

Some have suggested that the decline in assessment of face-to-face may have encouraged more applicants to come forward as they avoided the potential stress of the appointment of a person.

However, analysts say that there is no concrete evidence to display that way or another.

Lewis Murphy, an economist at the Resolution Foundation, states that the approval rate for both face to face and distance assessment is largely unchanged since the epidemic.

She says, “Whatever has changed, more people are claiming PIPs – the government shows its figures that there are about 1,000 new awards each day,” she says.

While some evidence is that increasing mental health conditions have contributed to an increase in PIP claims, independent researchers are uncertain about the precise reasons behind the trend upwards.

Ms. Murphy has identified a potential factor, growing state pension age.

She explains, “The number of people classified as ‘working-edge’ increases as state pension continues to increase”, she explains.

Under the current rules, once a state reaches pension age (currently 66 and to 67 by the end of 2028), they do not usually qualify for PIPs.

This increase in the state pension era means that the age of work is increasing, putting more pressure on the system.

Ms. Murphy believes that it is responsible for the fifth of an increase in claims of health and disability related to disability in the last decade.

According to the researchers, another potential factor is the understanding of the benefit system of the people – and what they can be entitled – may improve during the epidemic and the cost of a living crisis.

IFS Senior Research Economist, Eduin Latimer agrees.

“There is a lot of evidence that people claim health benefits in response to economic shock”.

But when there are some admirable explanations for an increase in PIP contenders, Mr. Latimer says, “We really do not know the answer”.

The government says that it will make a comprehensive review in Pip, work and Pension Minister Stephen Tims, Which will report by next autumn,

Originally, the government expected its reforms to save about £ 5.5bn in a year by 2030. However, after concessions, that savings are now expected to be £ 2.5bn.

Even if the government had proceeded with its initial reforms, the overall work-aerial bill was still set to increase. About £ 72.3bn in 2029-30,

The government has now revised the assessment of the impact of its plans and tells about it 150,000 more people will be left in relative poverty (After housing cost) by 2030.

It’s from the bottom 250,000 people survived in relative poverty In its original evaluation.

The official spokesperson of the Prime Minister stated that modeling “does not reflect extensive action that we do not reflect from poverty and increase the standard of living, especially through work.”

The government says that this includes £ 1BN support measures to help with disabled and long -term sick people back to work.