Big Trouble for Disability Benefits: 1 Million Britons Face Cuts Under Devastating’ DWP New Updates
The UK government is preparing to overhaul the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, with changes that could see one million people lose access to disability benefits.
The reforms, set to be announced this month, will tighten eligibility criteria for PIP, the primary benefit for people with disabilities, as part of a broader effort to control rising welfare costs.
The changes will apply to new claims and reassessments of existing claimants, with many people with mental health conditions and those who struggle with daily tasks like washing, dressing, and eating likely to be affected.
Under the new rules, PIP applicants will need to score at least four points on one activity to qualify for the lower rate of payment, and an additional eight points for the higher rate. For example, needing help to cook a meal would qualify, but being able to use a microwave would not.
Similarly, requiring assistance to wash the upper body would meet the threshold, but needing help with hair washing or washing below the waist would not. The changes are expected to slow the rise in claims for mental health problems, which have contributed to a surge in PIP recipients in recent years.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has defended the reforms, calling the current benefits system “broken” and emphasizing the need to get it “on a more sustainable path.
The government argues that without reform, PIP spending is projected to increase by £15 billion in real terms by the end of the decade. Mental health problems now account for 37% of new PIP awards, up from 28% before the pandemic, and the total number of PIP recipients is expected to reach five million by 2030.
However, the proposed changes have sparked concern among disability advocates and charities. James Taylor from Scope warned that tightening the assessment criteria would be “a disastrous move,” pushing hundreds of thousands of disabled people into poverty and undermining their ability to live independently or work.
Tom Pollard of the New Economics Foundation noted that the reforms are likely to target people with less severe mental health conditions or neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD.
The government plans to redirect some of the savings from the reforms to raise the basic rate of universal credit and invest £1 billion in employment support programs. Ministers argue there is a “moral” case to improve incentives for people to find work.
However, critics fear the changes will disproportionately impact vulnerable individuals, leaving them without essential financial support.
As the government moves forward with its welfare reforms, the debate over balancing fiscal responsibility with the need to protect disabled people is likely to intensify. The outcome of these changes could have far-reaching consequences for millions of Britons relying on PIP to meet their daily needs.
