Sir Stephen Timms says personal independence payments (Pip) in England and Wales need changing.

A key disability benefit is not working for millions of disabled people or the government and needs fundamental change, a review has said. Sir Stephen Timms told the BBC the interim review of Personal Independence Payments (Pip) in England and Wales had found it to be "not fit for purpose". People applying for the benefit said the process was "dehumanising" and a barrier to work. The disability minister, who is leading the review, said his final report due out later this year was not expected to make "crude proposals" on payment changes. But with the cost of Pip expected to rise to more than £41bn by 2030, the sustainability of this would "be a concern as we reach these decisions", he said. Last year, the UK government asked Sir Stephen to review whether Pip was "fair and fit for the future". His initial report is being published on Thursday ahead of the final recommendations due in the autumn. The interim report suggests a sweeping overhaul of the assessment system is needed. It also highlights the steep increase in the number of Pip recipients in recent years and the forecast rise in spending on the benefit.