The UK government, led by Labour, is set to announce significant reforms to the welfare system, particularly targeting Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other disability benefits. The changes, expected to save around £6 billion, aim to tighten eligibility criteria for PIP, which is currently claimed by 3.6 million people. The reforms are part of broader efforts to reduce the growing welfare bill while encouraging more people to seek employment.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will outline the plans, which include making it harder for individuals with less severe conditions to qualify for PIP. While the government has ruled out freezing PIP payments, it is focusing on stricter assessments for new and existing claimants. Those with permanent or degenerative conditions may be exempt from reassessments, but others could lose access to the benefit if their conditions are deemed less severe.
The reforms are designed to balance support for those unable to work with incentives for others to find employment. The government has pledged to protect the most vulnerable claimants, ensuring that those clearly unable to work will not face further reassessments and will retain their full payments. However, disability advocates have raised concerns about the potential impact on vulnerable individuals, warning that cutting access to PIP could push more disabled people into poverty.
James Taylor of disability charity Scope emphasized that PIP is essential for covering the additional costs of living with a disability, such as transportation and mobility aids. He argued that reducing access to the benefit would not help people find work but would instead exacerbate financial hardship.
The proposed changes have also sparked opposition within the Labour Party, with some MPs and peers expressing concerns about the impact on disabled claimants. Labour peer Baroness Shami Chakrabarti described the cuts as “wrong in principle,” highlighting the potential harm to those with disabilities and long-term illnesses.
In addition to PIP reforms, the government plans to introduce a “right to try” policy, allowing disabled claimants to retain their benefits if they attempt to work but are unable to sustain employment long-term. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will also deploy 1,000 additional work coaches to job centers to support sick and disabled individuals in finding work.
The reforms come as the number of PIP and Universal Credit claimants has risen significantly since the pandemic, with total spending on health and disability benefits projected to increase from £64.7 billion in 2023-24 to £100.7 billion by 2029-30. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has warned that the proposed cuts could be the largest reduction to disability benefits since the creation of the Office for Budget Responsibility in 2010.
The announcement precedes Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement on March 26, where further details on the government’s fiscal plans are expected. While the reforms aim to make the welfare system more sustainable, they have sparked a heated debate about the balance between fiscal responsibility and support for vulnerable populations. Critics argue that the changes risk harming those who rely on benefits to meet their basic needs, while the government maintains that the reforms are necessary to ensure fairness and encourage employment.
