PIP award review intervals
DWP sets a review date when it makes an award. The interval is usually 2, 3, 5 or 10 years. The 10-year 'ongoing' award is more widely used in 2026 for claimants with stable, long-term conditions; light-touch reviews mean a short questionnaire rather than a full reassessment.
Typical intervals
- 2 years: short awards where the condition may improve or where evidence is limited.
- 3 years: the most common interval in 2026.
- 5 years: longer-term conditions with stable prognosis.
- 10 years (light touch): stable lifelong conditions; review is a short questionnaire.
- Ongoing: conditions where improvement is not expected.
Light-touch review
A light-touch review sends you a short questionnaire (the AR1) rather than a full PIP2. If your condition is unchanged, your award is renewed without a face-to-face assessment. DWP retains the right to call you for a fuller review at any time.
How a review works in practice
You receive a letter approximately 6 to 12 months before the review date. You complete an AR1 form (the renewal form) with current evidence. You may be invited for a consultation or asked for additional medical evidence. The decision is then either to renew at the same level, change the level, or end the award.
Will Timms change the intervals further
The Timms Review is considering whether award intervals should be longer by default, particularly for stable conditions. No change has been enacted. Award intervals issued in 2026/27 follow the current published guidance.