Universal Credit Act 2025 - Latest Updates (05.03.26)
Comments
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I've just asked ChatGPT about it, hopefully it is right, it said:
Short answer: No — adding your ADHD diagnosis during a reassessment should not make you a “new claimant” or remove your existing claim, even if the reason you qualify for LCWRA ends up being different from before. 👍
Here’s how it generally works with Universal Credit and LCWRA (Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity).
1. A reassessment is about your current capability, not just your old reasons
During a Work Capability Assessment (WCA), the assessor looks at all health conditions that affect your ability to work now.
That means:
- You can add new conditions that weren’t mentioned before.
- You can provide new medical evidence, like your ADHD diagnosis.
- They assess how all your conditions affect you together.
This is very common — people often develop new conditions or receive new diagnoses between assessments.
2. It would still be the same Universal Credit claim
Even if:
- your original conditions improve, and
- the reason you still qualify for LCWRA becomes ADHD
…it does not create a new claim. It’s simply an update to your health circumstances within the same claim.
Your claim only becomes a new claim if things like:
- you close your Universal Credit claim and start again later, or
- you move from a legacy benefit to Universal Credit (not your situation).
3. Keeping LCWRA for a different reason is normal
Decision makers often find LCWRA based on different descriptors than before.
For example:
- Before: physical health issues
- Later reassessment: ADHD affecting concentration, completing tasks, coping with change, etc
That’s still valid under the WCA rules.
4. Showing the ADHD diagnosis is actually helpful
Providing:
- your diagnosis letter
- evidence of symptoms and functional impact
- medication or treatment info
can strengthen your case because the WCA focuses on how your condition affects daily functioning, not just the label.
✅ So the key point:
Adding ADHD information during reassessment won’t make you a new claimant, and it’s perfectly acceptable if LCWRA is awarded for different reasons than before.2 -
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.
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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.
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I don't think anything should be 'locked', or that there should be a separate discussion for chat or fears (if it's on this topic) - it seems to me it would then lose momentum and members would not then be able to express concerns, or fears, about specific points.
I find it very easy to scroll through to find any 'official' commentary but I read all the 'chat/concerns' anyway and personally, find them valid and illuminating.
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Just to add, the first two posts are 'the facts' (on page 1) provided by Scope 'community' and Mary. Everything else seems to me to be chat/discussion - I don't see why there'd be any need to 'censure'/disallow that. Imo, none of the 'facts' get lost in the chat as they're clear for anyone to read, as they see fit.
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I get that, I guess my point is that Scope have created the thread and the facts are very clear in the first two posts.
Any further debate/drilling in to what that means for individuals' circumstances is what all the chat is about, including opinions.
If it's split to a separate thread I can't see how anyone would bother replying as they'd have to remember what they've seen on the original thread to continue the debate elsewhere (I might be misunderstanding what the suggestion is 🫠😊). Others' fears will still present themselves from seeing the same contributions elsewhere. To me, it just has the potential to close the discussion.
Any inaccuracies here can be corrected by those 'in the know'.
It's a minefield I think - a complex topic which has been set out well and clearly by scope. The ongoing exchange is, to my mind, just members navigating that and posing the questions and thoughts that are genuine to them and their circumstances.
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"Any inaccuracies here can be corrected by those in the know".......... @Emilee it's probably incorrect of me to say that with certainty as, for example, the 'Severe Conditions Criteria', issued to the healthcare professionals, won't be issued publicly until the autumn. I think it's that lack of information and ambiguity that creates uncertainty, worry and fear and not something that Scope will be able to provide clarity on. I personally will continue to avoid You Tube !!
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I should acknowledge there was a thread last year that got split, for discussion I think, but I can't remember what that was about, possibly Welfare Changes, I don't know tbh how that worked.
When I'm on a thread I often have to go back to page 1 to double check what the thread is 🙄😅 but that's just me, and I can go off topic if I'm not careful which can be frustrating.
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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?
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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 -
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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.
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Where would you like the cuts to be, there has to be some sort of cut or whole thing will stop.
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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.
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Nothing to apologise for @Catherine21
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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.
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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.
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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***
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Hi everyone. When you get state pension, does UC and LWRCA stop?
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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.
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