Green Paper Related Discussions

Morning Charlie,

I just migrated over to uc and I called them probably about less than a couple of months ago . I asked about them reassuring everyone on lcwra and the girl who was nice said they have no plans to and don’t have the staff even if they wanted to .

haha if you hold the wire tight and hold someone elses hand they get a harder shock whilst not hurting yourself

……….Yet they continue with HS2 - which is currently estimated to cost over £100 billion - for a few minutes off the time taken to get to Birmingham from OUTSIDE London… seems they've got their priorities are completely wrong.

I just have no trust in them . I was told by dwp my last assessment would be a quick one . The assessor took over two hours going through everything in a form I’d filled out 18 months prior . She kept saying if I don’t answer they may have to call me back and it may not be her . But if that’s true why do I hear of people having quick phone calls and that’s it ? As I said my first assessor lied so much my GP was furious as was the dwp themselves

The fact you had assessments so close together is really stressful but thank god someone saw sense and finally awarded you correctly. Now my last assessor had all my information including specialist letters of diagnosis, all medical notes and supping letter from GPs over the years. My form was the short form that gave the option of no change. It was filled out completely yet assessor went through everything and back to my childhood. I have ME so I was exhausted and begging her how much longer. She said if I couldn’t answer a question they may call me back . I now can see she was steering me towards 2 point answers and ignored my replies which would have given me a 4 even though it’s in my answers on the form . She increased my award to enhanced and lowered my mobility which I didn’t understand. Though I got mobility back at MR . I suspect the 4 point rule was being spoken of then .

Benefits & Work - 19 June 2025

Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill in brief

 Published: 19 June 2025

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill was published yesterday and is expected to be voted on for the first time in the Commons  at the beginning of July.  Below are the main provisions of the bill.

Personal Independence Payment

4-point rule

The Bill introduces the 4-point rule from a date yet to be announced, but intended to be November 2026.

From that date, new claimants will need to score:

• at least 8 points, including at least 4 points for a single daily living activity, to get an award of the standard rate of the daily living component;
• at least 12 points, including at least 4 points for a single daily living activity, to get an award of the enhanced rate of the daily living component.

Existing claimants will keep their current award until it is reviewed from November 2026, at which point they will be subject to the 4-point rule. 

So, if you have a review before November 2026, you will be subject to the existing rules, not the 4-point rule. 

There has been no indication from the DWP that they will bring forward anyone’s review dates.  So, if your next review is not due for say, another four years, then that is when you will be subject to the 4-point rule.

Pension-age PIP

There is a clause in the bill which allows the DWP to make “different provision for persons of different ages” which may be used to exempt claimants who have reached pension age by November 2026.  But there has been no official announcement about this and, at the moment, there are no different regulations for people of pension age.

Universal credit

Changes are being made to the rates of universal credit (UC) and, in addition, a severe conditions criteria category is being introduced.  (Similar rules are being put in place for ESA claimants who have not been migrated to UC by April 2026)

UC standard rates

The standard rates of UC will increase each year by more than the rate of inflation.  Using the 2026/27 rate as the

• severe conditions criteria claimant  £423.27
• claimant who is terminally ill  £423.27
• any other claimant with limited capability for work and work-related activity £217.26

This means that the LCWRA rate for new claimants from April 2026 will be almost halved.

The DWP has begun WCA reviews again. So existing LCWRA claimants may have their award reviewed before April 2026.  But if you do not have a review before that date, or you maintain your LCWRA status when you are reviewed, then you will receive the pre-2026 claimant rate from April 2026.

Severe conditions criteria

From April 2026, a new category of LCWRA is being introduced.  In order to be in the severe conditions criteria (SCC) group, a clamant has firstly to meet one of the LCWRA criteria.  You can find a list of the criteria here.

In addition, all of the following criteria need to be met:

The level of function constantly applies to the claimant.  So, conditions that vary in severity may not meet this requirement.

The claimant will have the condition for the rest of their life.   So, conditions which might be cured by transplant/ surgery/treatments or conditions which might resolve may not meet this requirement.

It must have been diagnosed by an appropriately qualified health care professional in the course of the provision of NHS services.  So, it would appear that a diagnosis via a private doctor or consultant would not be acceptable.

If a claimant meets all these criteria they will be classed as having a severe, lifelong health condition and will not be subject to routine reassessment.

What isn’t in the bill

The bill only covers the PIP 4-point rule and changes to the rates of UC, plus the severe conditions criteria, which were added at the last minute as a concession to Labour rebels. 

It doesn’t, for example, deal with the abolition of the work capability assessment, the proposed new Unemployment Insurance or the plan to change the PIP assessment criteria.  These and other Green Paper proposals will be the subject of legislation at a later date.

I can’t remember where I read it now, but it reported that it didn’t appear to be introduced as a money bill by the labour government.

Hi, I rang Scope about it last week after reading the same comment, they said they know nothing about it, probably just more useless clickbait and scaremongering, but people do keep bringing it up as theyv'e 'read' it somewhere, as far as I know it's complete hearsay and nonsense, like I say that came from Scope when I rang them.

I was early ill health retired from my career at age 47

All reasonable adaptions were tried and failed and the occupational health Doctor and specialist consultant did reports stating I am unable to do any kind of work, yet I have been reassessed every three years for benefits.

Its ludicrous and a waste of time.

My condition has deteriorated over the years and I have supplied medical evidence proving it yet I still get hauled up, rather than them accepting my situation and granting me ongoing award.