Universal Credit Act 2025 - Latest Updates (05.03.26)
Comments
-
One reason why I'm glad about my diagnosis is that it will offer me more protection in that it should be now more likely that I'll keep my LCWRA status if I'm reassessed and less likely I'll be moved to LCW or classed as fit for work, both of which I would not be able to cope with and I just wouldn't be able to survive.
2 -
Hi - yes saw this too. They are trying to get the reviews done although some other reports say they are still behind. Either way it is best to try to not focus on it. It doesnt mean you will be seen as soon as April.
0 -
I have emailed various disability and mental health charity and advocacy groups since the UC ESA AND PIP BILL was passed earlier this year to
request we work together to reverse it.
It CAN be reversed because quite simply there are 13m disabled people, 8m pensioners the sheer weight of voters numbers IF a campaign is organised including Mind, Age UK, other elderly pensioners charities, SANE MDF, UKAN SSO, I wont list the m all but there are dozens of charities, advocacy groups in this field, with millions of members and supporters.
However the response has been poor indeed, even from Scopes Campaigns Dept, and it CEO. Basically no response.
I was applauded, which I do not care for much, I'm here to change the world into a more disability, mental health age friendly world, with our human rights fully implemented, be they UN, domestic not to feel good from getting 6 badges and rising up levels.
It seems Scope and other charity advocacy groups do not believe it to be possible, yet it ENTIRELY IS to reverse these UC [ESA cuts too] AND PIP BILL, by sheer weight of numbers,
if Scope helps to build an alliance, of all the charities.
People who support scope, all disabled, distressed, and elderly people ae now suffering from the cuts, and really SUFFERING as is evident from the above discussion.
Why then are we taking it lieing down?
Why did the campaigns department not answer my many emails to it and its CEO call for:
- building alliance with al elderly, disability, mental health charities,
- in the run up starting now to the next general election to organias more leter writing campaign
- mass lobbies of parliament, and peaceful demos with publicity stunts?
Many of us are suffering cuts, depression, anxiety, trauma, some are suiciding, many 1000s of disabled people had befits cuts 10s of 1000s in 300 years, Are our lives and theirs worth nothing.
This is SERIOUIS, We all need to think about what I'm saying; is my leadership compassion, inspiration, nurturing meant anything in the run up to the UC ESA CUTS AND PIP BILL, surely it means something now?
I speak the HARD truth we are succumbing largely unconsciously to Oppression: disablism, mentalism, ageism, We are acting like VICTIMS, and there is absolutely no need for these vicious £2.5bn BUT we have to believe we CAN, YES WE CAN reverse those cuts, if we do not then there will be 2 massive consequences from hell:
- disabled, elderly and distressed people do not get disability welfare benefits in the first place, or get them cut, when we all know current disability benefits do not cover the extra costs of disabilities
- and this will result in great suffering hardship and poverty for distressed, disabled, elderly, and 190s of 1000s of more welfare suicides, as it HAS done in the last 30 years.
- seriously, are we going to allow that to happen, have we no fight back, no human spirit, are we in fact victims without human dignity. stark language I realise quite deliberately. Its the moment of truth we allow ourselves to be oppressed walked over, with only a partial victory - the govt aimed for £5bn disability welfare benefit cuts. Well are wee . I suggest we need to wake up to a totally achieveable revrsal of the cuts, to sucide prevention, human dgnity rights and support for disabled distressed and eldery folk, and get on with building that alliance to reverse the cuts.
- Finaly to have a reply to my emails to the Scope CEO and Campaigns staff is just good manners, and respect, but no one bothered. I feel deeply HURT by that and mostly onbehalf of the distress its causing to other disabled people in this forum or not.
I stil seek a reply, I put hours and hours of effort into those emails.
WE CAN REVERSE THE CUTS BUT HAVE UP OUR SELF ESTEEM, SELF COMPASASION, AND DEMAND OURT HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH SHEER WEIGHT OF NUMBERS AND PEOPLE POWER, GET IT?
5 -
Hi,
upon reading it says they want to target these groups, in this paragraph
In the Pathways to Work Green Paper last year, we said that we would turn on scheduled WCA reassessments as we build up capacity in our assessment providers. We are prioritising scheduled reassessments for people who are most likely to have had a change in their circumstances—for example, those with a short-term prognosis, for whom we can reasonably anticipate that a
change in their health condition has occurred. That includes those with risks from pregnancy complications, or those who have recovered following cancer treatment.
https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2026-03-04/debates/1532738B-A3C2-4ACB-AE5B-0D7B8FAC2600/WorkCapabilityAssessmentTimescales1 -
0
-
There is a valid legal challengeThere is a valid legal challenge to the UK's Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Bill due to concerns over its potential impact on human rights and the Equality Amendment Act 2010. Legal experts have warned that the proposed changes to PIP could face significant legal challenges, particularly regarding the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination against disabled people. The Equality Act 2010 could come into play here, and there are concerns that the new criteria may disproportionately affect those with particular disabilities, especially mental health conditions. Legal action might be possible if the Government's criteria unfairly impact disabled people or fail to provide reasonable accommodations for specific needs. The assessment process could be scrutinized to ensure it is lawful, rational, and proportionate. Express+2
Therefore we need to organise and work with this legal challenge, with Minds Legal Unit, pro bono lawyers, Public Health Lawyers Age UKs to reverse these £2.5bnn cuts in the UC AND PIP Bill cuts.
I am not giving up, protesting, peacefully not fighting back, I am a true Buddhist; anger never persuades, law, facts and evidence in the courts does.
I am copying this to Minds Legal Unit, for advice, and all pro bono law charities, and group. Pro Bono means in Latin: ''for good cause'; do you all agree that we human beings have dignity a right to adequate benefits, to equality, to self esteem/ duty of care, right to life, to be inspired, and to overthrow disabalist oppression? We can reverse these cuts, our livers literally depend on it, here were still ongoing sucides during the run up to the UC PIP BILL in July 2025. Some indeed expressed extreme distress: suicidal feelings, including me, but I chose to be a politico-spiritual warrior for disabled people, for compassion for adequate benefits and other rights for us all. If I had suicided it would mean disabalism, and a Labour (sic) govt had won.
2 -
Afternoon @Catherine21, I think Swiftfox’s question may have been in relation to @MadMilan2019’s comment which discussed reversing the cuts.
I agree though, it can be difficult to find the energy and it’s okay to oppose the cuts and not have an answer as to how the government could balance that in budgets.
I’ve also sent you a quick PM, please look out for it.
1 -
Nothing to apologise for @Catherine21
1 -
What's a PM?
Please everyone explain jargon, and abbreviations.
Do not we need to find a common strategy across the disability and mental health and grey power movement?
If we do not build such an alliance the the govt wins, the £2.5bn cuts go on, 10s of 1000s more sucides keep happening over the coming decades as they have hapened in the last 30 odd years of right wing welfare to work, disabled people will have benfits cuts for no reason, sanctions, and being living in fear, trauma, depp anxiety, and suicdal feelings.
I do not think what I said had even registered or been heard at all.
If it had Scopes CEO would have answered, and not ignored my many emails, I may well put in a complaint, and staff in the campaigns department would have answered.
The current approach of accepting the cuts means all the above horrors will keep happening, that disabled, elderly and mental health service users are treated like **8 through various stigmas. Really, seriously where is our fightback, our human spirit, instead of being walked over all the time? Where is it? Very challenging I realise, but true.
Also, if people need a break fine, the human right not to care, but mostly we have to struggle on, use the law and allies.
The response is very sad, oppressed and victimlike the disabled peoples movement are not fighting back by all and various means necessary they are accepting the cuts, depression, and anxiety, trauma and more suicides.
Is that what we really want when with 13m disabled and 8 million pensioners, and ms more in allies, WE CAN REVERSE THE CUTS IN THE RUN UP TO THE GENERAL ELECTION, IF WE START ACTING NOW TO
- Therpise boost self-esteem and collective resisting raised consciousness
- - never take no for an answer, from any govt of the take, and TOTAL SHAME on Labour Starmer for letting us down, who voted for him
- I suggest you vote Green as they are much more committed to reversing welafre cuts and more disabled friendly than new Labour New Tory ****. But, essentially such a campaign needs to croos party non party political, because Scope is a charity. I'll be voting Green and standing as an Independent in my ward Leeds North, for radical socialism, for disabled peoples rights, and not greenwash but real environmental change.
I speak the hard truth, so please do not blame the messager.
Please list your roles and that of other staff in Scope.
Many thanks.
4 -
Hello @MadMilan2019
PM is short for Private Message, I was sending another member a private message and letting them know to expect it.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns about the benefit cuts. It is something Scope have campaigned strongly against and we can hear how passionate you are about the impact the changes may have on people.
Just to clarify, the Scope staff who moderate and support this online community are separate from Scope’s campaigns and policy teams, so we’re not able to comment on or respond to campaign enquiries here. If you’re hoping for a response regarding your emails or would like to discuss campaigning work, you would need to contact those teams directly through the campaigns or general contact channels.
You can read more about our campaigns here: Scope Campaigns.
And find contact details for various departments on our contact page: Contact Scope.
4 -
Thank you Catherine21 you are very very kind compassionate, likemany other disabled people we suffer greatl;y from physical and mental pains added to by the stigmas, and so we are compassionate, indeed to each other.
We are fellow sufferes, do not have to be victims, let our deep sufferings be a cuase for compassion, political solidarity, and unity.
I did not sleep well last night, too many worries and aches and severe pains.
Took 2 cocadamool today.
Fell very low, but dragged myself out of bed, there is no jopy without corage and compassion.
You are such a sweet soul Catherine 21
I feel despair today, that Scope and other disabled people grups accept like victims - thats the hard truth - the 2.5bn cuts disability and thus the inevitable 10s of 1000s of sucides that will result.
Where is our human dgnity, spirit and fightback. I am in tears as I write this.
Can antone not only understand my current feeing of despair, whe the cuts could actually be reversed.
I am going on a Buddhist retreat today right now, Padmasambhava who is colourful charismatic, powerful tantric: transforming all demons/ problems to diamonds of compassion.
I will fight on am not a quitter, I'm sure I can persuade tghe many groups and forge an alliance because disabled peoples live luiterally depend on it.
We need to build our human dignity and spirit alliances not take no for an answer we CAN do this, if we believe we can, and we are worth adequate benefits, help, not sanctions not stigma.
I have to ask you all do you all this that, or not?
Because if we do not ay govt of the day will continue to treat us like S** and walk all over us, rather than aid us.
HOW DARE LABOUR TREAT US LIKE S***
2 -
Hi everyone. When you get state pension, does UC and LWRCA stop?
0 -
Yes if you are single because UC is a working age benefit.
If you are part of a couple with one under state pension age, you become a mixed age couple for UC purposes. The state pension would be deducted in full as income from the UC award.
2 -
What if you voulterrilly moved over to UC from ESA support group in mid 2022 and was put in the lcwra group automatically because your ESA support group automatically qualifies you for lcwra group ..... What I mean is because technically I've never been assessed for UC lcwra does that mean I'm a new claiment or am I seen as an existing claiment
0 -
Yeah reading that I think I'll be alright
1 -
@MadMilan2019 your posts here are always very inspiring to say the least. Thank you for speaking from your heart and sharing valueable truth about disabled rights. Green Party are the only party which seem to give a hoot about the disabled which is why I will also be voting for them too. Hope you haveing a good afternoon and everyone else too :)
0 -
I am going to start a Parliamentary Petition which if it gets a 100,000 signatures has to be discussed in Parliament, and may change the law.
Please Google ''Parliamentary Petitions U.K.'' to find out ,more how they work.
For now I'm asking Campaigns Dept, all staff at Scope including this online discussion forum to respond by listing all the disabled and mental health and grey power. elderly/ pensioners groups with full addresses, postcode email and telephone numbers.
Having a full list of such groups in the UK I will then draft a Parliamentary Petition, ask for amendments and improvements,
then send it to the full list
The petition's aim will be to reverse the £2.5bn cuts in disability welfare benefits, to stop the welfare suicides, brutal, inhuman and degrading, stigmatising treatment of disabled people
and
suggest the positive things we want, as policy to support disabled people now, and in the future.
Please give your suggestions, ideas thoughts, and total positivity, please do not indulge in doubt, depression, anxiety and trauma, we need to do the very opposite no matter how bad we feel, or good, I am feeling S*** today had 2 spasms last night, only 3 hours sleep.
Even some suicidal feelings, but hey, I do NOT want Scope staff to ring or email me, because I WONT DO IT and let myself and you all down.
I have great compassion, joy compassion, spirit, will not take no for an answer, will try and try and try and fight and fight and fight again,.
I am a politico-spiritual warrior for love, compassion, against stigma, for social justice.
All demons are diamonds geddit?
WE ARE ALL WORTH FIGHTING FOR
AND GENUINE HELP TO WORK OR NOT, SUPPORT, MORE NOT LESS BENEFITS
AAND THE EXTRA COSTS OF DISABIL;ITY, AND DISABILITY DEFINED HELP BY US NOT THE SOP CALLED LABOUR GOVT.
Any one any idea of even a rough date of next general elections; we need to design strategy and tactics in the run up to next general election,
I am standing in the local elections to
- get gang crime down, youth counselling, safer streets and estates
- - For more green gardens tree planting, too as therapy and joy for volunteers
- - And to get council and housing associations to stop treating their tents as 2nd class citizens, as the Grenfell report said.
Wish me luck, I wish you all joy the best of luck, lots of love, and courage freedom, and growing ever more everyday.
2 -
You are extremely kind inspiring and strong to say such deep compassion.
Moved to tears, my friends are rallying round.
Never ever give up folks talk to friends cultivate new reliable friends, meditate on line e.g. Tich Nath Hanh, Eckhart Tolle, Buddhist mediations, Google all of these latter.
I promise you won't regret doing so.
WR ARE DISABLED PEOPLE NOT PIECES OF S** WE ARE HUMAN BEINGS WHO DESERVE FAR BETTER FROM SOCIETY, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH.
FOR MANY OF USE TRAUMATISED OR NOT IT IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE ARE STILL ALIVE.
WE CAN CHANGE THINGS
YES WE CAN
LIFE UNFAIR WE DO NOT DESERVE THIS S** TREATMENT,
BUT REALISTICALLY NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR US.
WE HAVE TO ORGANISE AND TAKE POWER.
WE HAVE TO CAMPAIGN
OR ALL FORMS OF DISABLISM IN INCLUDING BENEFIT WITHDRAWAL SUICIDES WILL GO ON AND ON.
HOW MANY 1OS OF 1000S OF DISABLED PEOPLE HAVE SUCIDED IN THE LAST B30 YEARS DUE TO BENFIYT CUYTS, HAS ANY ONE A RELIABLE FIGURE, DOES ANYONE KNOW AN ACADEMIC WITH A RELIABLE FIGURE? CAN SOMEONE PLEASE FIND OUT.
3 -
Thank you Catherine21.
I DO Care deeply.
You cared enough to respond kindly.
Let me start my list of disability physical charities and advocacy groups UK, to build a cross group and cross party alliance to reverse the £2.5bn cuts:
It Can be done: 13m disabled people, 8 million pensioners or v.v.? memory problems =s 21m voters.
There 67m people in the UK. That is enough if
- disability, mental health, and pensioners charities pull together in a n alliance.
Its not lack of voter numbers who are adversely affected but lack of confidence, self-esteem, internalised oppression, and at present the lack of 3 social movements pulling together to make our case, reasonable rational and realistic - and unstoppable
Mental charities advocacy groups:
Mind
Physical charities advocacy groups:
Disability Rights UK
Scope
Pensioners advocacy charity groups/ Grey Power
Please everyone I we need you, add to the list above.
I will redraft and amend by saving the proposed strategy to reverse the 2.5bn cuts and republish on Scope forum, consulting this forum many times.
Date of next general election anyone
propsed writing to MPs, and lobies of Prilsament, peaceful deomos too
Sharing startegy on social medias
List of all social media need:
Facebook
LinkedN
X
Reddit
Threads etc. .
0 -
@MadMilan2019 Thank you for these words. It is very inspiring and very true - we all make up a huge number of voters and can do this. We should never give up hope because together we can be a powerful voice.
1
Categories
- All Categories
- 16.4K Start here and say hello!
- 7.7K Coffee lounge
- 121 Games den
- 1.8K People power
- 214 Announcements and information
- 25.8K Talk about life
- 6.2K Everyday life
- 435 Current affairs
- 2.5K Families and carers
- 897 Education and skills
- 2K Work
- 629 Money and bills
- 3.8K Housing and independent living
- 1.2K Transport and travel
- 678 Relationships
- 1.6K Mental health and wellbeing
- 2.6K Talk about your impairment
- 885 Rare, invisible, & undiagnosed conditions
- 947 Neurological impairments and pain
- 2.3K Cerebral Palsy Network
- 1.3K Autism and neurodiversity
- 41.7K Talk about your benefits
- 6.2K Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
- 20.6K PIP, DLA, ADP & AA
- 9.5K Universal Credit (UC)
- 5.4K Benefits and income