The Short Answer
New PIP claims took a median of 18 weeks from registration to decision in July 2026, up from 15 weeks a year earlier. The DWP statistics, published on 15 September 2026, give a median of 12 weeks from referral to the assessment provider to the decision. At 31 July 2026, 4.1 million people in England and Wales were entitled to PIP. The figures describe claims already decided and change nothing about any award. The next release is due on 15 December 2026.
What this means for your payments
- Who is affected: nobody's award. These are official statistics about claims already decided.
- What changes to your money or your payment date: no change to payments. PIP rates and payment dates are unaffected.
- From when: not applicable. The figures cover England and Wales up to 31 July 2026.
- What you need to do: nothing. The DWP release explains that on a new claim, entitlement starts from the date of claim or from when the 3-month qualifying period was met.
The key figures from the DWP release, each with its source and the date it was checked:
| Fact | Figure | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| New claim, registration to decision | 18 weeks (median, July 2026) | DWP PIP statistics to July 2026, section 6 | 30/09/2026 |
| New claim, assessment referral to decision | 12 weeks (median, July 2026) | DWP PIP statistics to July 2026, section 6 | 30/09/2026 |
| People entitled to PIP | 4.1 million at 31 July 2026 | DWP PIP statistics to July 2026, section 4 | 30/09/2026 |
| New claims awarded, last 5 years | 42% (excluding withdrawn) | DWP PIP statistics to July 2026, section 4 | 30/09/2026 |
| MRs changing the award, quarter to July 2026 | 26% (excluding withdrawn) | DWP PIP statistics to July 2026, section 7 | 30/09/2026 |
| Next release | 15 December 2026, 9:30am (confirmed) | GOV.UK release calendar | 30/09/2026 |
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How Long Does a PIP Claim Take in 2026?
A normal rules new PIP claim took a median of 18 weeks from registration to decision in July 2026, and 12 weeks from referral to the assessment provider to the decision. Both medians rose on July 2025, when they were 15 and 10 weeks. The DWP calculates each clearance time as the median of all individual clearance times, so half of claims were decided faster and half slower.
| Claim type (normal rules unless stated) | Registration to decision | Assessment referral to decision | Same measures, July 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New claims | 18 weeks | 12 weeks | 15 and 10 weeks |
| DLA reassessment claims | 21 weeks | 14 weeks | 18 and 11 weeks |
| Special Rules for End of Life, new claims | 3 working days | not published | not published |
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"End to end" in the DWP release means from registration to a decision being made. The shorter measure starts when the DWP refers the claim to the assessment provider. The DWP says the DLA reassessment figures "should be viewed with caution while volumes of DLA reassessment clearances are low".
Mandatory reconsiderations had their own median. In July 2026 an MR took 45 calendar days for new claims and 46 calendar days for DLA reassessments, each 2 days longer than the previous quarter.
What Percentage of PIP Claims Are Awarded?
Over the five years from August 2021 to July 2026, 42% of normal rules new PIP claims received an award, excluding withdrawn claims. The figure was 72% for DLA reassessment claims and 99% for Special Rules for End of Life claims.
The DWP publishes two rates. The award rate divides awards by all claims cleared. The assessment award rate divides awards by claims where an assessment took place.
| Measure (normal rules) | Quarter ending July 2026 | Quarter ending July 2025 | Five years to July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award rate, new claims | 34% | 41% | 42% |
| Award rate, DLA reassessments | 73% | 72% | 72% |
| Assessment award rate, new claims | 42% | 48% | 49% |
| Assessment award rate, DLA reassessments | 77% | 77% | 77% |
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In the quarter ending July 2026 the DWP registered 240,000 new claims and cleared 240,000. New claim registrations were 17% higher than in the quarter ending July 2025.
How Many People Get PIP?
At 31 July 2026, 4.1 million people in England and Wales were entitled to PIP, 2% more than at 30 April 2026. Of these, 3.4 million (83%) were of working age and 690,000 (17%) were of State Pension age. 37% received the highest award, both components at the enhanced rate, the same share as in April 2026.
| Most common recorded condition (normal rules) | Share of claims |
|---|---|
| Psychiatric disorder | 39% |
| Musculoskeletal disease (general) | 19% |
| Neurological disease | 13% |
| Musculoskeletal disease (regional) | 12% |
| Respiratory disease | 4% |
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Of the 4.1 million, 1.9 million (46%) had been entitled to PIP for 5 years or longer. The release covers England and Wales, because Adult Disability Payment has replaced PIP in Scotland.
How Often Does a Mandatory Reconsideration Change the Award?
26% of mandatory reconsiderations cleared in the quarter ending July 2026 led to a change in award, excluding withdrawn requests. Over the five years to July 2026, 27% of the 1.4 million MRs cleared changed the award. The DWP registered 86,000 MRs in the quarter and cleared 81,000.
The DWP also tracks initial decisions made after a PIP assessment from April 2021 to March 2026 through to appeal:
| Stage (initial decisions, April 2021 to March 2026) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Initial decisions after an assessment | 3.7 million, 54% awarded |
| Mandatory reconsiderations registered | 720,000 (20% of decisions) |
| Completed MRs that changed the award | 15% |
| Completed MRs that went on to appeal | 35% |
| Appeals the DWP revised before the hearing ("lapsed") | 17% |
| Decisions cleared at a hearing and overturned | 65% |
| All initial decisions overturned at a hearing | 3% |
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For appeals, the DWP points readers to the Ministry of Justice tribunal statistics as the robust source. The latest MoJ figures are listed with the other official releases on PIP news.
What Happens at a PIP Award Review?
79% of planned PIP award reviews from August 2021 to July 2026 ended with the award increased or unchanged. For changes of circumstances reported by claimants, the figure was 89%.
| Outcome, August 2021 to July 2026 | Planned award review | Change of circumstances |
|---|---|---|
| Award increased | 14% | 43% |
| Award maintained | 65% | 45% |
| Award decreased | 5% | 3% |
| Award disallowed | 16% | 6% |
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The DWP registered 42,000 planned award reviews in the quarter ending July 2026, 71% fewer than a year earlier. The release states that "since April 2026 most new awards to people aged 25 or over will be for 4 years with a review after 3 years", and that awards after a successful review "will be for 6 years with the review taking place after 5 years". It states that the change applies to the existing caseload from 16 June 2026.
What Has Not Changed
The statistics do not change any PIP rate, payment date or assessment rule. A median clearance time is not a deadline, and an award rate is not the chance of any one claim succeeding. Each figure describes decisions the DWP has already made.
The release also records that "new invitations to claim PIP for working age DLA claimants are not currently being sent out". No other change to the claim process is announced in it.
What Happens Next
The DWP will publish Personal Independence Payment statistics April 2013 to October 2026 on 15 December 2026 at 9:30am. GOV.UK lists the date as confirmed. That release replaces the figures on this page. The DWP updates its annual comparison of DLA reassessment outcomes each December.
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