Labour doubles down on slashing billions from DWP's disability benefits bill
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She dismisses their deaths , how heartless
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https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/minister-hijacks-commons-inquiry-to-defend-dwp-as-he-attacks-book-that-exposed-its-violence/
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I guessed correctly who it was..
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And Stephen Timms is supposed to be disabled as well. An embarrassment and a traitor to our community! A snake in the grass!
To think the amount of times vulnerable people must've emailed him, thinking he's on our side, when he isn't! I haven't seen it, but i've seen an article on DNS website, that Timms supports cuts to the access to work scheme.
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I remeber you said about him or i think it was you if so you was so so right jelly belly
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Oh i cant
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Karma will get them all how any of them can stand and lie but the truth is coming out jeremy corbin did a lovely speech talking of the words used by labour is fear envoking and people on benefits not lazy he said alot oh god i was crying 2019 when he didnt get if he did what a country this would be labour getting taken to court left right and centre people not having it
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Whoa say anything to protect job sickening
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I feel so depressed with this government, the uncertainty of eventually moving to Uc which I'm terrified about. The cuts in benefits. I'm 58, my conditions are getting worse, even with antidepressants, feeling of hopelessness in what's happening and the fear of what's to come.
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The only comfort is it will take years and seem they will have to water down i am dreading uc really upsets me that we are all suffering try take oneday a day
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Thank you Catherine 21
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Also seen alot if people taking labour to court everyone is in uproar the way im looking at is it will take years to complete and come round to us who knows how life goes without sounding morbib i might not be here by then honestly it is so hard and scary its the unknown the uncertainty i relise they so this delibratly to keep us fearful people easy to control they wont be able to do what they want ellen clifford made a big dent they waited to see what the outcome would be jeremy corbin made a beautiful speech about us labour are falling apart soon if not already they will turn on each other like rats in a sewer im sending big hugs i believe we will be ok pls be kind to yourself dont let them rent space in your head its done to drive us mad evict them and try to live as peacefully as you can t
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Rightly wrote to starmer over his wording about a Palestine family coming to UK why cant she say to him about everything his and labours wording about disabled do you think should email her he should be pulled up on all he's said since being in power we have all been offended used as bait for months
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I heard today they now plan to increase the cuts to £5billion not £3billion . Yet on this forum scope insist labour wont be forcing people to work, only the ones that can and it’s the MSM twisting labours words. What’s the truth ?
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Whoa where does it say that wouldn't surprise me
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I think it’s on the independent and daily express if you google. I can’t remember exactly where I read it and don’t know if it’s true or not . If I see anything else regarding it I’ll post back . I’m sure if anyone else knows the truth they’ll post here.
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@Catherine21 From "The Independent" of 20th Feb re PIP and WCA
Ministers are said to already be weighing up how to spend the expected £5bn in savings that could come from planned cuts to sickness and disability benefits.
The reforms, first announced under the Tories, were initially predicted to save around £3.4bn by 2028-29. However, Treasury documents have since revealed that the five-year forecast, now stretching to 2029-30, increases the expected savings to £5.4bn.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is said to be pushing for the savings to be reinvested in expanding back-to-work programmes for the long-term sick, according to The Times.
The Treasury, meanwhile, is reportedly keen to use the savings to plug gaps in the Government’s spending to prevent the need for spending cuts or tax rises in the future.
The importance of the planned cuts to the Government coffers is growing, as recent figures show that the number of people receiving disability benefits has gone up by almost half a million in a year.
As of August, 4.8 million people were claiming welfare to support them through a disability in England and Wales, an increase of 450,000.
Once Scotland, where disability benefits are in the process of being devolved, is taken into consideration, the total number reaches close to five million.
This increase in benefits claimants could prove costly in the long term. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, spending on working-age health-related benefits rose from £36bn in 2019–20 to £48bn in 2023–24 and is projected to rise even further to more than £60bn by 2029.
And, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), 3.5 million people were claiming personal independence payment (PIP) in 2024. This represents a rise of 400,000 (13 per cent) between August 2023 and August last year.
Replacing PIP with a new tiered system
The Government is understood to be considering a tiered payment model for PIP as part of wider disability benefit reforms. This system would categorise claimants based on the severity of their condition, ensuring payments reflect the level of support needed for personal care, medical equipment, home adaptations, and other disability-related costs.
The proposal is influenced by models in countries like Norway and New Zealand, where disability benefits are based on verified extra costs.
For example, in Norway, claimants must provide a GP letter outlining their condition and associated expenses, while in New Zealand, disability allowances are adjusted according to assessed financial need. A similar approach in the UK could simplify the PIP structure and ensure funds are allocated more precisely.
The Commission on Social Security, an independent group set up by the Trust for London and made up of people with lived experience of the welfare system, has also suggested replacing PIP with a tiered “Additional Costs Disability Payment” system to create a fairer and more dignified system.
The Commission on Social Security has proposed three payment levels:
- £83.70 per week (£334.80 every four weeks) for minimal support.
- £152.15 per week (£608.60 every four weeks) for moderate support.
- £230.77 per week (£923.08 every four weeks) for those with significant needs.
The Commission stated: “We are putting forward proposals for a reimagined social security system that is designed by and works for those who rely on it. It would be vastly different from the current system.”
Currently, PIP consists of two components—daily living and mobility—each with standard and enhanced rates. Payments range from £114.80 to £737.20 per month, increasing in April 2025 to between £116.80 and £749.80. The proposed system would simplify this and expand eligibility to cover needs such as personal care, staying safe, running a home, mobility, and socialising.
The Commission also stressed that PIP should be granted “for the rest of [a claimant’s] life if necessary” rather than requiring frequent reassessments. Assessors would “work with” individuals to determine support needs rather than looking for reasons to deny benefits.
Labour is set to announce its own disability benefit reforms in an upcoming Health and Disability Green Paper. The Commission’s consultation could shape the final proposals submitted to the DWP later this year.
Debbie Abrahams, chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, has called the idea of replacing PIP with vouchers “nonsense”.
Speaking to the Mirror in December, she said that disability minister Stephen Timms had already ruled out the Tory-era proposal, though he has not publicly confirmed this.
“I think it’s nonsense, and I cannot see that happen. It is suggesting that it’s ok for disabled people to be provided with a voucher instead of money – as though they aren’t responsible with their money,” she told the paper.
Tightening eligibility criteria
Ministers are expected to review the eligibility criteria for PIP as part of the upcoming reforms to reduce the pool of people eligible for the benefit.
However, Government sources have resisted suggestions that PIP, which is not based on income or employment status, could become means-tested.
Currently, you can apply for PIP if you are over 16 and have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability. You are required to prove that this condition makes it harder for you to complete everyday tasks or get around and that these difficulties will last for at least 12 months from when they started.
One key area under review is the assessment process itself. Proposed changes could mean that some people face more frequent reassessments, while others, particularly those with long-term or severe conditions, may undergo assessments less often or not at all.
The current system requires claimants to demonstrate how their disability affects their daily life and mobility, a process that is often described as stressful and intrusive.
Recent consultation documents suggest that the Government aims to extend the qualifying period for PIP to better understand the impact of long-term conditions and allow them to identify short-term illnesses from which someone can make a “full recovery”.
It is expected that, under the potential changes, those with mental health issues could find it harder to meet the criteria to claim for PIP.
The shift would build on proposals previously put forward by the Conservative government. Former Tory Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride had said disability benefits should not be for those feeling “a little bit depressed”.
On the other hand, many disability organisations have long called for the Government to reduce the need for repeated assessments, arguing that those with lifelong impairments should not have to repeatedly prove their need for support.
Changes to the Work Capability Assessment
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already announced that the Government plans to make savings by advancing the Conservative government’s planned reforms of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA).
The WCA determines a person’s eligibility for out-of-work benefits like Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
In September 2023, the Conservative government launched an eight-week consultation on various possible changes to the WCA. The proposals were presented as a way to help more disabled claimants get into work.
In November 2023, the government published its response to the consultation and proposed changes to the activities and descriptors in the WCA that would make it harder for new claimants to be found to have limited capability for work-related activities.
However, the DWP’s consultation over tightening up the criteria for the WCA was ruled “unlawful” and “misleading” by the High Court last month. Although the consultation took place under the Tories, the current Labour Government chose to defend the benefit reforms in court.
The court upheld a complaint that the consultation did not properly explain that many people would receive significantly less money under the reforms and would need to meet more conditions to receive payments.
Analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility found that while 450,000 new claimants would be over £400 a month worse off as a result of the changes, just 15,400 would find jobs by 2029. It calculated that almost 97 per cent of those affected by the changes proposed by the Tories would be worse off.
It is understood that changes to WCA will still go ahead, but these will be announced separately from the wider changes due to be announced in a Green Paper in the spring.
Ministers are said to be exploring how to adapt the WCA to reflect the rise in home and flexible working. This could make it easier for people with mobility issues or mental health conditions—who are not in a crisis—to engage in work.
Labour is also reportedly considering removing the “limited capability for work and work-related activity” (LCWRA) category, which currently exempts people from seeking employment.
This would mean that more claimants, including those with long-term health conditions, would be required to engage with job search services, marking a significant shift in the approach to disability benefits.
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My questions is say the changes for wca go ahead in September and I get uc migration in December will I be assessed under new rules
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I’m on esa legacy and assume I should transition straight over to lcwra . Right now I’m trying not to worry as the worry from the Tory’s green paper made me sick all last year and right now we don’t know anything that’s a true fact yet . It seems to me like they’re trying to see what they can get away with. Especially after Ellen Clifford won her case . If they plan to do the same ie stop money with no jobs to offer but just a cost cutting exercise that’s already been found illegal . I’m not sure I’m correct but hopefully someone more knowledgeable will inform us . Try not to worry x
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I watch his videos he really knows is stuff. It also put my mind at rest especially when he had the evidence to back up what he was saying
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