Some PIP claimants with stable or severe conditions will face reviews only every four or six years under updated award guidance, the DWP has confirmed

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has confirmed that certain individuals receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) may only undergo reviews every four or six years following revised award guidance.

The modification was flagged by welfare rights website Rightsnet, which reports that the DWP stated new standard review periods will be “operationalised” as four and six year awards in practice. The DWP also clarified that extended review intervals are designed to function as minimum periods rather than fixed standards, meaning awards can still be adapted to individual circumstances.

Crucially for numerous long-term claimants, the Department also confirmed that 10-year ‘light touch’ awards will remain in place for individuals with the most severe or stable conditions, reports the Daily Record.

Ongoing awards with a ‘light touch’ review

A ‘light touch’ review is typically granted to claimants who have:

• Very stable needs which are unlikely to change over time
• High level needs which will either stay the same or get worse
• A planned award review date due on or at State Pension age
• A special rules for end of life claim due when of State Pension age

PIP is a disability benefit paid to more than 3.9 million individuals across England and Wales who require assistance with daily living activities or mobility requirements due to a long-term health condition or disability.

It’s vital to note that the benefit has been superseded in Scotland by Adult Disability Payment, which is managed by Social Security Scotland.

Existing DWP guidance already indicates that ‘light touch’ reviews are reserved for claimants with severe conditions or those whose needs are unlikely to change. The revised clarification is likely to provide comfort for numerous disabled individuals who are concerned about regular reassessments and repetitive paperwork.

Within the existing framework, PIP awards can differ considerably in duration based on a claimant’s medical condition and whether their situation is anticipated to alter.

According to PIP guidance on GOV.UK, awards undergo regular reviews to ensure claimants continue to receive appropriate levels of support.

Nevertheless, campaigners and welfare advisers have consistently maintained that individuals with lifelong or degenerative conditions should not be subjected to needless reassessments.

Rightsnet reports that the DWP’s clarification confirms extended review periods will remain integral to the department’s strategy for those with more stable medical conditions.

The UK Government had previously set out proposals for extended PIP award review periods as part of broader disability benefit reforms, though the most recent clarification offers greater insight into how the modifications are anticipated to operate practically.

The announcement arrives as the UK Government pursues wider reforms to disability benefits and assessments.

Individuals currently in receipt of PIP need not contact the DWP unless instructed to do so or their circumstances alter.

Claimants in Scotland already receiving Adult Disability Payment undergo assessment through a distinct system operated by Social Security Scotland, which has prioritised minimising unnecessary reviews for individuals with lifelong conditions.

The motorway will be shut from junction 53 at Scotch Corner to junction 56 at Barton Junction for road marking renewal works.

Starting on June 29, the closures will take place from 8pm to 6am.

The affected area on the northbound carriageway stretches 3,697 metres from the exit slip road at junction 53 to the entry slip road at junction 56.

The southbound carriageway will also be closed from the exit slip road at junction 56 to the entry slip road at junction 53, covering a distance of 3,659 metres.

Additionally, the northbound entry and southbound exit slip roads at junction 53 and the northbound exit and southbound entry slip roads at junction 56 will be closed.

For more notices affecting YOUR area, visit our Public Notice Portal – Public Notices from The Northern Echo ( publicnoticeportal.uk). 

Alternative routes will be clearly marked for drivers.

The closures will not affect emergency service vehicles or those involved in the works.

The order for these closures will come into force on June 28 and can last for up to 18 months, though the current plan is for the works to finish by July 20.

For more information, contact National Highways Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 or email info@nationalhighways.co.uk.

The witness said his partner had “gone into detail”, stating that Donaldson had inappropriately touched her “on a number of occasions” and that he kissed her and “put his tongue down her mouth”.

A man became emotional as he told a court of the moment his wife revealed to him alleged sexual abuse by former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson when she was a child.

The witness said his wife was scared as she told him about the alleged incidents and he realised “this was massive for her”.

Newry Crown Court also heard about a message sent by Jeffrey Donaldson to a church minister who had been providing pastoral support to the couple stating he just wanted to “find a way to say how sorry I am”.

Ex-MP Donaldson, 63, has pleaded not guilty to 18 alleged offences.

The charges include one count of rape and allegations of indecent assault and gross indecency, and span a time period between 1985 and 2008 involving two alleged victims.

Complainant A and B have both previously given evidence at the sexual offences trial.

Eleanor Donaldson, from Dublinhill Road, Dromore, Co Down, denies several charges of aiding and abetting her husband’s alleged offending. She is facing a trial of the facts.

On Thursday, the court heard evidence from the husband of Complainant A.

Prosecution barrister Rosemary Walsh KC asked him about the first time the woman told him about allegations of abuse in 2019.

He became emotional as he told the court: “She said that when she was younger, Jeffrey had abused her on a number of occasions.”

The witness said his partner had “gone into detail”, stating that Donaldson had inappropriately touched her “on a number of occasions” and that he kissed her and “put his tongue down her mouth”.

He said she also told him about an alleged incident where she was “woken by a light” and Donaldson was looking at her “private parts”.

He told the court that woman had related another alleged incident to him when “Eleanor had walked in and saw something happen”.

He said: “I was very upset, she was slightly surprised by how upset I was.

“She was scared, she had never told anyone this, I recognised this was massive for her.”

The witness was cross-examined by Jeffrey Donaldson’s barrister Kieran Vaughan and Eleanor Donaldson’s barrister, Ian Turkington KC.

Later the court heard evidence from a Presbyterian minister and his wife who had provided “pastoral support” to Complainant A and her husband after they had disclosed an allegation of abuse.

He said he had contacted the church’s head of safeguarding as he “wanted to know what the boundaries were regarding our responsibilities”.

He said the first meeting took place in 2022.

The witness said when he was on holiday in the summer of 2023 he received a message from Jeffrey Donaldson.

The court heard that Donaldson asked for the message to be kept “in confidence” and said he did not know “where else to turn and would truly appreciate the opportunity for a private conversation”.

The minister said he responded the following day that it would be “inappropriate” to have the meeting.

The court heard that Donaldson then sent a reply which said: “I do understand entirely. I don’t want to cause them further upset.

“I just want to find a way to say how sorry I am and repent before them as I have before the Lord.”

The message added: “I will leave it to the Lord and trust that he will find a way.”

The witness said he did not respond to the message and informed Complainant A and her husband.

He told the court: “I did not want to give any impression I was communicating outside of this arrangement behind their back.”

The case will continue on Friday.

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Hunter Bell’s win was an early statement performance in a season that features a Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and European Championships in Birmingham.

The 32-year-old, who won world outdoor 800m silver ahead of Hodgkinson in Tokyo last September, has now returned to the longer distance where she took a remarkable Olympic bronze in 2024.

Faced with a last lap kick from Nikki Hiltz, Hunter Bell moved up alongside the American before going ahead to take the win in her outdoor season debut.

“I felt really happy to come away with the win. The first race of the season is very tough because you don’t know where you are,” Hunter Bell told BBC Sport.

“It’s a big improvement from the 4:00 dead I opened up with last year, which was an improvement from 2024, so all boding well.”

Fellow Britons Jemma Reekie, who pushed to near the front of the field briefly on the approach to the final lap, and Laura Muir finished 11th and 14th with times of 4:05.39 and 4:10.54 respectively.

Hodgkinson, also entering a first race outdoors this year, improved her personal best by 0.47 seconds in the 400m, where she was looking to demonstrate her one-lap potential following a speed-focused training block.

Norway’s Henriette Jaeger won the event in 49.60 seconds, in a field which featured six athletes who had gone sub-50.

Hodgkinson, 24, will now return to the 800m, the distance at which she set a world indoor record in her title win this year and took Olympic gold in Paris.

She will race in Stockholm on Sunday and on consecutive July weekends in Eugene and London, with her intention to topple Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova’s world outdoor record which has stood for 43 years.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The letter, the first public message Zelenskyy has written directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, was a sweeping critique of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power.

Zelenskyy acknowledged shifting U.S. priorities, saying it would be wrong to simply wait for the Trump administration to return its attention to ending the Ukraine war while it remains heavily focused on the Iran war.

“I am proposing a meeting,” Zelenskyy wrote.

U.S. President Donald Trump said it “would be great” if Putin and Zelenskyy met. “They should get it done,” Trump said.

Asked what concessions he had urged Putin to make to end the war, Trump declined to provide details but said both sides would need to compromise.

“They’re going to both make compromises,” he said. “I suggested those compromises.”

Zelenskyy appeared to be trying to seize a pivotal moment in the war, as Ukraine has begun to regain some battlefield leverage largely through improved long-range strike capabilities that have complicated Russia’s advances. At the same time, Moscow has intensified its deadly aerial campaign across Ukraine, seeking to exploit Kyiv’s shortages and continued vulnerability to ballistic missile attacks.

He said the talks could be hosted by a neutral third country, ruling out both Moscow and Kyiv as venues and suggested Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states as possible hosts for negotiations.

“It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be,” he wrote. “I propose to set a clear date for such a meeting.”

He said Ukrainian intelligence indicated Russia was considering plans to prolong the war into 2027 and 2028, while increasingly relying on ballistic missile strikes to achieve what its ground campaign had failed to accomplish.

Zelenskyy also accused Moscow of seeking to draw Belarus deeper into the conflict and of attempting to destabilize the situation around Transnistria, the breakaway Moldovan region backed by Russia.

The Ukrainian leader argued that Russia was increasingly feeling the costs of the war, pointing to drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, economic strain, fuel shortages, rising prices, and the necessity of more military mobilization.

Zelenskyy claimed Russia suffered more than 30,000 soldiers killed or seriously wounded in May alone, saying Ukraine had “video confirmation” of the battlefield losses and that such casualty levels had been sustained month after month.

He added that Ukraine also continues to suffer painful losses despite what he described as a favorable casualty ratio.

He said Ukraine was prepared to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations and proposed an all-for-all prisoner exchange as a first step toward ending the conflict.

Zelenskyy also called for the return of civilians and children taken from Ukraine during the war.

“The world has not grown tired of Ukraine, as you long hoped it would. But there is growing fatigue with Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

Village residents say the application ‘dominates conversation’ as a ‘constant source of worry’

Plans to turn a former farm into an “industrial factory” in one of Cambridgeshire ’s smallest hamlets have been refused by the council. Taste Flavourings Ltd were looking to move from their current site in Chittering to De Freville Farm in Aldreth, a non-designated heritage asset.

East Cambridgeshire District Council’s planning officers called the plan “an exemplar” of “reusing traditional agricultural buildings for alternative uses”. They said the new use would support around 30 full-time jobs, retaining the “historic arrangement” of farm buildings and improving them “where there are currently clear signs of dilapidation and neglect”.

But officers recommended refusing the plans due to their impact on traffic and harm to the “relatively tranquil character of the village”.

Mike Wells, speaking on behalf of Aldreth residents, said: “I find it hard to believe that consideration is being given to moving a factory to the heart of probably the smallest hamlet in East Cambridgeshire. It just seems crazy – a hamlet of less than one hundred houses that residents cherish for its peace and tranquillity.”

He told the planning committee the factory “would change Aldreth dramatically” as when it was still a farm machinery was used only “intermittently” during harvest. Mike said that parents from the hamlet and nearby Haddenham take their children to the community centre for a “heavily subscribed” playgroup in the community centre.

He said: “The prospect of 10 HGV tankers a day thundering in and out of the hamlet with young children walking the footpaths is concerning. For the past 15 months, this application has been a constant source of worry for my wife, for me, and many of our neighbours – it dominates local conversation.

“A lot of residents chose Aldreth as a tranquil place to live and to retire to – to enjoy nature and peace – not to be an annex to a factory.”

Aalbert Remijn, the owner of Taste Flavourings Ltd, said: “We’re a family business with the next generation already involved and we would like to move from rented premises into premises which we own.”

He said their food and drinks laboratories provide “high-quality employment” for 26 to 27 families “more than half of whom live within a 10 mile radius of Aldreth”.

He said: “Over the last year we have addressed all the requirements raised by planning officers and relevant agencies and we have received no objections from any of the statutory consultees.

“I understand that people are concerned about change and the unknown – however, traffic generation would be much more modest than some residents fear, a point that has been accepted by highways. We want to be part of the community as good neighbours and I hope your decision will help us all move forward in a positive and constructive way.”

Gareth Wilson, ward councillor for Haddenham, said: “The problem we’ve got is this, I think well-meaning person, is basically putting his factory in the wrong place.”

He said Aldreth is “not suitable for an industrial factory” and raised concerns that approving the plans would set a precedent for the site to “permanently” become industrial.

Cllr Lucius Vellacott said: “It’s a testament to the people of Aldreth how seriously they have taken this. I’m massively in favour of employment in East Cambridgeshire – I wish the applicant nothing but the best for their business and I want us as an authority to support them but what I want us to support first is the use of land in our most rural areas and there is no rural need. Unfortunately, this proposal is unacceptable for the location it’s in.”

Cllr Bill Hunt, chair of the planning committee, said as a county councillor for the area for 20 years, he “probably knows Aldreth better than most”.

He said: “It’s fair to say there’s no shop, there’s only one bus a week – there was a garage there but I think that’s now closed as the owner has retired. Despite those disadvantages people go to Aldreth, live in Aldreth and they love Aldreth – why?

“The peace and quiet and the neighbourliness and the decency – and the fact they know when there’s a brewers lorry come down the village by mistake, they know. It’s a special community and I think it should be retained and this would change the character of the area totally.”

Cllr Christine Ambrose Smith said: “I think when people in a community are confronted with something that they don’t immediately recognise – a touch of hysteria, dare I say, comes into play.

“You get used to lots of things – this is a brilliant new business – I think that after a while it will find its place and it will be accepted. I would really like to see this approved because I think it’s an excellent scheme – it’s making the most out of what’s a derelict area at the moment and at the end of the day what else is going to fill that space?

“Something will need to and presumably if the applicant is unable to build here there’s a possibility it may be sold and that might end up with a worse situation.”

The application was rejected with eight votes for refusal, one for approval and one abstention.

EXCLUSIVE: A leaked copy of the terms of reference shows the relationship with the UK party is on the table.

Scottish Labour are reviewing their links with the UK party after Keir Starmer was blamed for last month’s Holyrood election loss.

A leaked document shows party chiefs are also asking members about the impact of the UK Government on their doomed campaign.

Anas Sarwar’s party returned 17 MSPs in May – the worst result in the history of devolution.

Candidates and senior party sources say the unpopular decisions of the Starmer Government were the primary cause of the defeat.

But Sarwar has also been accused of producing a weak manifesto and being too optimistic in the number of seats he targeted.

Scottish Labour’s governing body, the SEC, recently agreed to review the fifth electoral loss in a row to the SNP.

OPINION

Party chiefs will examine a range of issues including national campaign strategy, manifesto development, policy communication, media, digital campaigning, field operations and finance.

A copy of the terms of reference obtained by the Record shows members are being asked twenty six questions.

These include: “How effective were the party’s campaign message, manifesto and policy offer?”

“What were Scottish Labour’s objectives for the 2026 election, and were they realistic and clearly understood?”

The historic link to the UK party also forms part of the review, which will be chaired by an SEC member:

Another question asks pointedly: “How did the performance, reputation and decisions of UK Labour and the UK Government affect Scottish Labour’s campaign?”

The review will also examine the “operational and financial relationship between Scottish Labour and UK Labour”.

Although the Sarwar campaign was funded by donations raised by his party, Scottish Labour has historically relied on subsidies from London and benefits from shared resources.

A party source said loosening these ties would be another step towards Scottish Labour becoming a separate party.

The review will draw on election result analysis”, polling and voter research, campaign data, regional member meetings as well as written submissions and interviews.

A final report will be submitted to the SEC no later than September 12th this year.

It comes after former Labour MSP Paul O’Kane left the door open to an independent Labour party north of the border.

He told the Planet Holyrood podcast:

“As part of any wider review…I think everything should be on the table. I think it would be wrong if we sort of closed off ideas about how we might move forward.”

He said: “We are the party of devolution. We believe in devolution. We believe in devolution that progresses. But we probably didn’t do that for our internal party structures and we need to accept that in a devolved UK, looking at more devolved structures to the Scottish Labour Party isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

SNP MSP Pauline Stafford said: “The reality of Labour’s crushing defeat is nobody cares about it. Their own MSPs can’t even be bothered getting rid of Anas Sarwar despite him leading their party to their two worst ever defeats.

“But it doesn’t take a review to work out why the Labour Party suffered its worst election result in the history of Scottish devolution.“Despite receiving millions of pounds from London, Anas Sarwar lost because – in contrast to the SNP – he had no positive vision for Scotland and refused to engage with the fact that more than half the country wants to see Scotland take her rightful place as an independent nation.

Live flight information shows several arrivals running behind schedule, with some flights delayed by more than two hours.

Among the worst affected is Virgin Atlantic flight VS86 from Las Vegas, which is running around 142 minutes late.

Ryanair flight FR4051 from Faro is also significantly delayed, with an expected arrival nearly 100 minutes behind schedule.

Elsewhere, easyJet flight U22104 from Nice and Qatar Airways flight QR27 from Doha are both arriving more than 20 minutes later than planned.

While most flights are continuing to operate as normal, some departures from Manchester Airport are also experiencing delays.

EasyJet flight U22197 to Munich is among the outbound services running significantly behind schedule.

There is currently no indication of widespread disruption at the airport and no confirmed cancellations have been identified.

Manchester Airport has advised passengers to check directly with their airline for the latest travel information before setting off, as flight schedules can change throughout the day.

The cause of the delays is not immediately known.

Travellers can check the latest arrival and departure information on the Manchester Airport website or through their airline.

Prof Marian Knight, director of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, which researches the care of women and babies in pregnancy and birth, says the rise represents a “total change in how women give birth” in England, and that it has not been replicated in other European countries.

Our reporters have had their say on whether Man United should keep or sell the defenders currently at the club.

Manchester United are planning to overhaul their midfield in the summer transfer window. Casemiro has departed after four years at the club, and there is recognition that investment is required to inject new life into midfield.

The defensive department at United could be boosted by a left-back signing this summer, but it could be argued that a new centre-back is needed after a campaign in which United’s centre-backs picked up injuries.

Michael Carrick started Noussair Mazraoui alongside Ayden Heaven against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, for example. United won 1-0 in the capital, but makeshift backlines are more likely to be exposed in a season when the schedule returns to normal, given the Reds’ Champions League commitments.

With that in mind, our writers have given their ‘keep or sell’ verdict on the club’s current defenders:

Diogo Dalot

Tyrone Marshall: Dalot faced some criticism from supporters in the first half of last season and he still isn’t particularly popular, but he was steady back at right-back and his contribution to build-up play is underrated. Keep

Steven Railston: Dalot was quietly decent in the last few months of the season. It’s not fashionable to praise Dalot, but he is a consistent performer when he plays as a right-back in a back four. Keep.

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Noussair Mazraoui

Tyrone Marshall: A difficult season last year and has clearly lost the battle to play at right-back, but offers experience and can play both full-back roles. Worth another season at least. Keep

Steven Railston: It was a forgettable season for Mazraoui, who played just over 1,000 minutes. However, he has played in eight different positions during his time at the club, and his versatility is handy in a busy season. Keep.

Matthijs de Ligt

Tyrone Marshall: Feels almost impossible to sell him this summer, but needs a big year next year. Clearly an excellent centre-back there, and still only 26 years old. Could play a big role and be Maguire’s successor if he stays fit. But if his form drifts, there is a problem. Keep

Steven Railston: De Ligt last played against Crystal Palace on November 30. Although he was producing the finest performances of his United career before picking up that injury, I’d cut ties if it were possible this summer. The obvious problem is that nobody will buy a defender who has just had back surgery. Sell.

Harry Maguire

Tyrone Marshall: Just signed a new contract and the best natural centre-back at the club. Fits the way United have played under Carrick, where his defensive strengths have been to the fore. Keep

Steven Railston: Maguire is still the best defender at United and should be on the plane for the World Cup this summer. He thoroughly deserved his new contract, which was a no-brainer for United. Keep.

Lisandro Martinez

Tyrone Marshall: Loved by his coaches, makes United better tactically when he plays and a cult hero on the terraces. Only thing not to like is the fact he’s been able to start just 65 of 152 Premier League games since he joined the club. Keep for now, but if he has another injury hit year then his time will be up. Keep

Steven Railston: Martinez missed the first three months of the season as he recovered from a knee injury, before missing more time between February and March due to a calf injury. The centre-back is a leader and drives the group on the training pitch, but United need someone more reliable. Sell.

Patrick Dorgu

Tyrone Marshall: Made a real impact on the wing under Carrick and now a key member of the squad. Could play an attacking left-back role or left-wing. Won’t start every week, but will have a big role to play next season still. Keep

Steven Railston: Dorgu might be permanently regarded as an attacker by the end of the season. Regardless of which position his long-term future lies, there is a feeling that there’s plenty more improvement to come from him. Keep.

Leny Yoro

Tyrone Marshall: Not done enough in two years at the club to warrant the excitement around his signing, when United beat competition from Real Madrid to land him. Needs to kick on this year and if he does, he could be first-choice by the end of the season. Keep

Steven Railston: I expected a little bit more from Yoro this season, albeit it wasn’t a bad season for him by any means. Still, he was signed in a £52m deal and should be nailing down a spot in the starting team next term. He has the skillset to become one of the best in the world. Keep.

Luke Shaw

Tyrone Marshall: Just had his most productive year yet in terms of starts and performances were of a generally high standard. Next season represents a different challenge and with one year on his contract, it makes sense to wait until early 2027 before making a call. Keep

Steven Railston: Shaw was also snubbed by England for the World Cup squad. He would be in my squad if I were England manager, though. The 30-year-old started every Premier League game this season, and United need to give him a chance of staying fit next term by signing a back-up. Keep.

Ayden Heaven

Tyrone Marshall: A lot to be excited about and looks an ideal stand-in for Martinez at the moment. Probably needs to play more than he did last season, but a deeper schedule will give him those chances. Could be part of this defence for years to come. Keep

Steven Railston: Carrick raved about Heaven’s performance at Stamford Bridge – and that praise was deserved. The youngster came into the side in difficult circumstances and still has plenty of scope to improve. Keep.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.