Summary of Kendall's Proposals (her talk in Parliament today)

FeistyPigeon

Hi folks, I know there's a Green Paper discussion thread going but I thought it'd be a good idea to list Kendall's main proposals here, after sitting though her speech today.

So these are the main points she's talked about:

1. Keeping people in work:

Anyone who falls sick / disabled in work will have the right to claim sickness benefits + request flexible working (she didn't say how long for).

The "work well" scheme will continue to encourage GPs to refer you to an employment advisor if you say you are too sick to work, rather than have a sick note (now called a "fit" note by the Tories)

2. For those who can no longer work:

If you have had to leave employment and qualify for contribution based ESA, they will also give you contribution based JSA for a limited period (during which they'll try to get you back into work).

The work capability assessment will be SCRAPPED in 2028. Before that, they will greatly step up assessments and make more of these face to face.

Those who can prove they will never work again will not need further assessments.

3. For those of us on universal credit:

The basic rate of universal credit will be given above inflation rises each April while Labour are in power. However, they speculate that the rise will be worth £775 / year by April 2029, so it might not be that much above inflation!

Disability top-ups for LCW and LCWWRA will continue to be paid for all of us who are in receipt of these payments now, unless they are deemed fit for work.

They will no longer be available for new claimants from 2028.

After WCA is scrapped, the only people who will qualify for disability top-ups will be those who also qualify for PIP.

A premium (amount unspecified) will be paid to those who can prove they will never be able to work.

4. PIP assessments:

They will not replace them with vouchers and they will not freeze payments.

Timms & Co will reassess the effectiveness of PIP assessments, in consultation with disability groups.

The aim is to make it HARDER for you to qualify for PIP.

From November 2026, you will only qualify for the daily living component if you score at least 4 points in at least one activity.

PIP assessments will continue to be not means tested.

5. Getting people back into work:

They will give people a "right to try" during which time you can return to the benefits you previously claimed, if you find going to work is too much.

The time period they give you was not specified.

Those who are in receipt of disability top-ups (including LCW and LCWWRA) are expected to engage with jobcenter staff to discuss the type of work you could do. If you don't do this there is most likely the threat of sanctions.

The other understated aim behind this might be an expectation that you HAVE TO try a job that the jobcenter staff says you could do. This could be taken as a form of coercion.

For youngsters they're planning an additional penalty: anyone aged under 22 will not qualify for disability top-ups, they are all expected to be in work, training or education. They did not give a date when this would be brought in. Those aged under 22 who can prove they are too sick / disabled to ever work, will still qualify for extra payments.

That's it folks. The devil will be in the detail. Feel free to correct anything I've got wrong here.

Remember this is still all at the consultation stage, nothing will happen unless they pass this bill in Parliament.

It was telling that Debbie Abrahams spoke afterwards, especially to give her concerns about excluding additional payments to youngsters. She is chair of the work and pensions committee, so her views will be taken into account, before they bring this policy in.

One other point: the Tories got up afterwards and said they would have brought in all sorts of extra penalties and complained Labour hadn't gone a lot harder. So we could have been in a worse situation if they had won the election. No doubt the Tories will make things much harder again if they win next time.