Download the app
© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
Download the app
© 2026. The Purpl Co Limited. All rights reserved.
7 min read
Written by
Georgina, Founder of Purpl
Published on
August 12, 2026
Last reviewed: 12 August 2026
Applies to: UK
Written by: Georgina, Founder of Purpl
Direct answer and key takeaways
What: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has opened registration for 15 “Timms Review shaping recommendations” workshops (nine in person, six online) across the UK. Disabled people and individuals with long-term health conditions can help test and refine emerging Personal Independence Payment (PIP) reform proposals.
When: Registration opened at 10:00 am on Wednesday 12 August 2026 and closes at 5:00 pm on Friday 21 August 2026. Workshops take place during September and October 2026.
Action: To register your interest, complete the ‘about you’ form on GOV.UK. If you require reasonable adjustments or alternative formats to apply, contact [email protected]. Selected participants will be notified via email by 4 September 2026.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | 10:00 am on Wednesday 12 August 2026 |
| Registration deadline | 5:00 pm on Friday 21 August 2026 |
| Notification date | Successful applicants notified via email by 4 September 2026 |
| Workshop dates | September – October 2026 |
| Capacity | 15 workshops (maximum 20 participants per session) |
| Format and scope | Nine in person, six online (England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) |
| Timing | 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (with regular breaks) |
| Eligibility | Disabled people and health conditions (lived experience with PIP preferred) |
| Payment and expenses | One-off participant payment plus travel and support expenses |
| Benefits impact | Warning: Payment is treated as earnings and may affect means-tested benefits |
The Timms Review has moved into a new phase. Having concluded its initial evidence-gathering stage, it is now actively developing proposals for how PIP could work in the future.
Related reading: For a full breakdown of the review’s progress so far, read our guide on what the PIP benefit changes in 2026 mean for claimants.
Purpl tip: If you submitted evidence earlier this year, these workshops represent a completely separate stage. You are still eligible to register your interest.
PIP is designed to contribute towards the extra daily costs associated with living with a disability or long-term health condition. While policy reviews take time to deliver structural change, practical savings can help lower daily costs immediately.
| PIP cost area | Practical support with Purpl |
|---|---|
| Mobility and getting around | Verified savings on mobility scooters and wheelchairs |
| Daily living and adaptive tech | Direct discounts on assistive technology and devices and ergonomic home office equipment. |
| Household energy and comfort | Practical savings across home and energy efficiency brand partners to help offset daily bills. |
| Health and wellbeing | Discounts on everyday healthcare essentials and supplements. |
Practical savings while policy reforms are developed
Navigating benefit reforms can be stressful, but reducing everyday expenses shouldn’t be. You can explore all verified brand discounts for disabled people and carers on Purpl to help manage daily living costs immediately.
Workshops run from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm with regular breaks. Participants can attend only one session.
| Date | Region or area | Location | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 September 2026 | London, England | London | In person |
| 18 September 2026 | North East, England | Newcastle / Middlesbrough area | Online |
| 22 September 2026 | South, England | Bournemouth | In person |
| 22 September 2026 | All England and Wales | Regional coverage | Online |
| 24 September 2026 | Midlands, England | Birmingham | In person |
| 25 September 2026 | South Wales | Cardiff | In person |
| 29 September 2026 | East England | Norwich area | Online |
| 29 September 2026 | Scotland | Glasgow | In person |
| 30 September 2026 | North Wales | Bangor | In person |
| 30 September 2026 | All England and Wales | Regional coverage | Online |
| 1 October 2026 | North West, England | Liverpool | In person |
| 1 October 2026 | Northern Ireland | Belfast | In person |
| 2 October 2026 | Yorkshire and Humber | Sheffield | In person |
| 6 October 2026 | Scotland | All Scotland | Online |
| 7 October 2026 | Northern Ireland | All Northern Ireland | Online |
Because overall capacity is limited to 20 participants per session, applying does not guarantee a place. Selection is initially random, followed by balancing checks to ensure representation across:
Selected participants will be notified via email by 4 September 2026.
The DWP is committed to making reasonable adjustments so potential participants are not disadvantaged during the application process or the workshops themselves.
You can submit your ‘about you’ registration form in alternative formats (such as Easy Read, large print, or audio). Any requests for adjustments to support your application should be sent to: [email protected]
Available support includes:
Important benefit impact notice
Participants attending a full workshop in a personal capacity will be offered a one-off payment plus reimbursement for travel and care expenses. However, this payment is treated as earnings and may affect means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit.
Checking your support: If you want to review all available entitlements, download Purpl’s UK Disability Benefits & Support Handbook or check our step-by-step guide to preparing for a PIP assessment
Interim findings show widespread concern regarding how PIP currently operates. Participants in earlier stages described assessments and decision-making as:
The co-chairs have stated their goal is to ensure PIP becomes fairer, more accessible, and better equipped to support disabled people’s dignity, choice, and independence.
Background on the findings: Learn more about the DWP’s initial report in our detailed article on what the Timms Review interim report means for your PIP claim
No. The workshops are being held specifically because recommendations are still being shaped and tested.
Co-production requires that the people affected by policy decisions help shape them before they become fixed.
These workshops give disabled people the chance to test emerging ideas, identify unintended practical consequences (such as how rules affect fluctuating conditions or cognitive fatigue), and ensure recommendations reflect everyday reality. The Review has also promised to publish feedback explaining what input was taken forward and why.
To register your interest, follow these steps:
The Timms Review PIP workshops are 15 focus sessions taking place across the UK during September and October 2026. Disabled people and individuals with long-term health conditions will help test and refine emerging proposals for Personal Independence Payment reform.
Registration closes at 5:00 pm on Friday 21 August 2026. Applications opened at 10:00 am on Wednesday 12 August 2026.
No. Official guidance states participants should ideally have experience interacting with PIP, but being a current award recipient is not a strict requirement.
Yes. Six of the 15 workshops are online, with dedicated sessions for Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, and English regions.
Yes. The payment is treated as earnings and could affect means-tested benefits. You can ask your work coach for advice, opt out of receiving the fee, or accept a lower amount.
No. Proposals are still being developed. The workshops will inform the final report due to be submitted to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in autumn 2026.
The Timms Review is moving from evidence gathering to defining its final recommendations. These 15 workshops offer disabled people a direct opportunity to scrutinise emerging PIP proposals before they are submitted to ministers this autumn. Because registration closes at 5:00 pm on 21 August 2026, prompt action is required if you wish to apply.
Georgina is the Founder of Purpl, a disabled-led UK discount platform built to offset the extra cost of disability. Living with Multiple Sclerosis, she creates accessible guidance on benefits, household savings, and disability advocacy. Purpl partners with verified brands across mobility, technology, and daily living to provide exclusive discounts for disabled members and carers.