Green Paper and Benefits Reform Updates
Comments
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See the link below for correspondence from Liz Kendall, dated 9 June, in response to the Work and Pensions Committee’s letter of 21 May regarding the Pathways to Work Green Paper.
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/48305/documents/252847/default/
The link appears to be unresponsive, but you can access the content by inserting it into a Google search.
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See below published today.
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Hi everyone,
Please find attached a letter I have received from my local MP in regards to the proposed cuts to the Welfare System where they are abusing our human rights and breaking the law in regards to our disabilities as well. Even though I’m now living in Derby I’m going to see about writing to the MP for Oldham which is my home town and see what there response is as I know the local MP used to be in charge of Parks and Spaces in the town, fair to say he is a Labour MP so I know which side of the fence he will be on!
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"one of the most generous ever"
The DWP press release boasts that:
"The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will provide 13-weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including those who their lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer’s element of Universal Credit.
"The 13-week additional protection will give people who will be affected by the changes time to adapt, access new, tailored employment support, and plan for their future once they are reassessed and their entitlement ends.
"This transitional cover is one of the most generous ever and more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP."
Press release from the DWP
The DWP have issued a press release headed "Welfare bill will protect the most vulnerable and help households with income boost". It quotes Liz Kendall as saying:
"This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.
"This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot - putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change."
PIP changes in the Bill
The 4-point rule and the 13 week run-on if you lose your PIP because of it are confirmed. Plus a clause which could be used to allow for pension age PIP claimants to be exempt from the 4-point rule
Clause 5 deals with PIP.
Subsection 1 confirms the requirement 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;
score at least 12 points, including at least 4 points for a single daily living activity, to get an award of the enhanced rate.
In other words, the 4-point rule.
Paragraph 6 (c) confirms that PIP will be payable for 13 weeks after a decision that you are no longer entitled to PIP daily living component as a result of failing the 4-point rule.
Subsection 2 says that the secretary of state (SoS) will decide the date on which the new rules begin. The explanatory notes add that this is intended to be November 2026. The change will not apply to any given claimant until their award is reassessed. So for claimants with longer awards it may be some years distant - by which time there may be an entirely new PIP test.
Subsection 4 appears to be a "get-out clause" to allow the SoS to make special provisions for particular groups of people. They almost certainly have pension age PIP claimants in mind here. The paragraph actually says:
"to make different provision for different cases or purposes (including different provision for persons of different ages);"
So, for example, it might allow the SoS to decide that the 4-point rule will never apply to any person at or over pension age, who is already in receipt of PIP daily living in November 2026. This would give pension age claimants an exemption, but it's interesting that this is not being put into the Act itself.
The subsection also allows the secretary of state to provide for "a person to exercise discretion in dealing with any matter".
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill published
The bill has now been published. You can download the 22 page .pdf document from the Get file link on this page.
Or you can download the file directly from this link
You can download the explanatory notes from this page.
There's also an impact assessment on the Universal Credit Rebalancing from the Department for Work and Pensions - May 2025
Money Bill
There has been discussion about whether Labour will seek to have this bill designated as a money bill, which would effectively remove House of Lords scrutiny. A decision about whether a bill is a money bill is made by the Speaker of the House, after the report stage. However, according to guidance on Money Bills from the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel:
1.35 During the debates in 1911 it was alleged to be a defect in the bill that the Speaker was not required to make his decision earlier because of the risk of the Commons proceedings being completed in ignorance of whether the bill was to be certified. There is now an informal indication, published as a note when the Bill is listed on the Commons Order Paper, as to whether a bill is likely to be certified as a money bill.
The notice that the bill will be presented today on the Order Paper makes no mention of a money bill, so this seems to be an indication - though not a certainty - that Labour are not pursuing this possibility.
Bill due this afternoon
The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill is due to be published this afternoon. This is the bill that will enable the introduction of the PIP 4-point rule and cuts to universal credit for disabled claimants.
We’ll provides links, analysis and the opportunity for you to comment on this page.
According to the UK parliament website, it is a: "Bill to make provision to alter the rates of the standard allowance, limited capability for work element and limited capability for work and work-related activity element of universal credit and the rates of income-related employment and support allowance, and to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment."
https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/universal-credit-and-personal-independence-payment-bill-updates
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Thank you Bellatango for such a good summary. I wont be clicking the link to read more so your info is very helpful.
I note that Under 22 age group are not mentioned. It had been said that changes to disqualify them from disability payment would be from April 2026. I dont know if the date for this change has been put back to November 2026 as mentioned for PIP and UC LCWRA.
I note that: (quote from your post):"Subsection 4appears to be a "get-out clause" to allow the SoS to make special provisions for particular groups of people. They almost certainly have pension age PIP claimants in mind here. The paragraph actually says:"to make different provision for different cases or purposes (including different provision for persons of different ages);".
To me, this means they could still implement the proposed changes for the under 22 age group from April 2026… Unless ALL proposed changes are to be from November 2026 for new claimants and those aged under 22.
It matters quite a lot to us. 21 yo old daughter only just got LCWRA but will only be 22 at end of May. It would be awful to lose her PIP and LCWRA in April and have to be re-assessed in May when she turns 22, quite possibly not qualifying for the 4 point rule. She has 4 points in one category now, but with tighter restrictions it's entirely possible she will not get 4 again. And there is no chance of her working. There never has been. If she was 22 she could wait until her re-assessment date which is 2028.Interestingly (quote from your post) "The subsection also allows the secretary of state to provide for "a person to exercise discretion in dealing with any matter". So perhaps in my daughter's case, we might be able to make a case??? I doubt it….
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To be honest I don’t understand any of this. We are at the mercy of whatever this government decides to do. They don’t care about us or what happens to anyone. They have such big salaries and luxury lifestyles they’ve lost all sense of reality.
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If anyone on here is on X go on to Dr Jay Watts @Shrink_at_Large page and view this which was posted on her page.
Dr Jay Watts
TW "Peace of mind will...be given to 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group... as they will not be called for reassessed for Universal Credit (UC) under new legislation."Right, this is the hill I will die on. These criteria rule out nearly all with MH.
Department for Work and PensionsThe Severe Conditions Criteria does include those with mental health conditions - where it is applied claimants will receive the higher rate of LCWRA and not face reassessment(1/2)
DR JAY WATTS
Technically yes, de facto no. You keep mental illness in the criteria but ALL MH conditions are treated as fluctuating and episodic so we’re excluded by the ‘constantly’ requirement. Ditto ‘no chance of recovery’ - MH profs literally trained in the recovery model however severe.
Department for Work and PensionsAlso - all existing claimants of LCWRA, including those with mental health conditions - will continue to get the same amount until 2029/30
DR JAY WATTS
It is not the same amount as it is not rising with inflation so it is less each year.
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Do they think adding 13 week payment we are all going to be OK after that. What planet are they on. See kendell grinning about it.shes pushing ahead before the review
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Thank you so much for sharing the article about Dr Jay watts.
She is indeed a very kind and compassionate human.
These politicians need to see her work.
I even joined X to see more!
Thanks again!
Yogibear
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Hi everyone,
Just a reminder that this discussion is for posting confirmed updates about the upcoming reforms. Please try to keep speculation to a minimum if you can. While AI services can be really useful tools, they are not always accurate sources of information, so please try to avoid using these. This discussion is intended to provide only accurate and verifiable information where possible.
There are a lot of emotions involved in this topic and it's a really worrying time so I know it's difficult not to get caught up in discussion of various details. That's why we have our Green Paper Related Discussions post. You are also always welcome to create a new discussion if any particular part of the reforms is worrying or confusing you.
Please also note that this discussion isn't intended to be an overspill of the Green Paper Related Discussions post if it is paused or under review. We have removed several comments relating to a disagreement carried over when the Green Paper Related Discussions post was paused.
We have split off some discussions that involved speculation about the bill being a money bill and a number of posts discussing ESA and insurance. You can still chat about these things in their new discussions.
Thank you for all your contributions so far. Even things that we have split off have been some really valuable discussions, we just want to keep things neat and tidy over here where possible so people can find information easily.
I hope that's clear ☺️ if you have any problems or questions please do drop a message to @Community_Scope
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thanks for the reminder
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I'm waiting for the government to try to prevent Disabled OAP's from claiming their entitlement to state pension - on grounds that we are instead getting PIP !
Trying a "YOU CAN'T CLAIM BOTH"
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The Pathways to Work Green Paper was updated on 18 June. I don't know what as yet has been 'updated,' but at the moment this is said about PIP assessments:
'159. Therefore, we will launch a process to review the PIP assessment. This is a major undertaking which will take time and require extensive engagement, so any changes to the PIP assessment would only be introduced following the reforms set out in this Green Paper. To make sure we get this right, we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. It will also provide an opportunity to consider how to extend the goals and approach set out as a result of this Green Paper through any future change to the PIP assessment. In particular, the ambition is to shape a system of active support that helps people manage and adapt to their long-term condition and disability in ways that expand their functioning and improve their independence.'
Yesterday I read somewhere that Sir Stephen Timms was issuing guidance to health care professionals that do the assessments. I found a verifiable link today: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-06-10/58826
in which Stephen Timms said,
'As of September 2024, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) took over responsibility for the Core Training and Guidance Material (CTGM) used within the Health Assessment Advisory Service (HAAS). This material is provided by DWP to HAAS assessment suppliers, who are required to incorporate all relevant CTGM content related to specific conditions and assessment policies into their final training products.
DWP has provided suppliers with specific CTGM on rheumatoid arthritis, alongside a broader suite of training materials covering a range of long-term, fluctuating health conditions. These contain clinical and functional information relevant to the condition and is quality assured to ensure its accuracy from both a clinical and policy perspective.'
Perhaps I'm the only one that had missed this about HAAS, which was reported on 7 Sept 2024
I'm just wondering about how much it seems has already been planned, & will 'future change to the PIP assessment,' as mentioned in the Green Paper, actually therefore be consulted upon when I then also read the following? It's for 'healthcare professionals who complete medical (factual) reports for the DWP or one of their Assessment Providers' which 'gives advice on how patients can be supported through the sharing of information.'
Updated 23 Dec 2024:
This is about PIP, UC/ESA; please read together with Appendix A, & Appendix B.
This is putting the emphasis on clinical facts or the results of investigations. Where a PIP assessment is currently about a claimant's functional ability to 'reliably' complete an applicable descriptor, it looks to me that clinical findings, test results, etc are now perhaps being considered more. There's only one thing missing from this, as it's only mentioned briefly, & that's the patient/claimant themselves.
I don't know how many Drs are conversant with the PIP descriptors, & just a few words about each of the activities looked at with PIP must surely leave many none the wiser. So, how can they report on their patient's ability to 'reliably' (a word that isn't mentioned) complete these descriptors?
I also wonder how many MPs know about the above guidance? Is the DWP moving away from looking at a claimant's functional ability & making it more of a medical assessment? After all if Timms is giving guidance material on different conditions to HAAS….
We know that all claimants with any health condition will vary with their functional ability, so surely this guidance can only be a generalisation anyway?
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That's probably why timms keeps going on in mps written answers on the parliament website about how assessment are done by trained and qualified medical professionals, he thinks he's fixed the problem! From what I've seen on Reddit he really hasn't
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So if they vote on 3rd July does this mean it will definitely happen in November 2026?
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Thank you YogiBear for the above post explaining the process of these proposals.
I am really starting to accept that big changes are on the way. So so unfair – it's not about helping people, it's about saving money.
I fully understand that times change and so will policy, but if you claim disability and you are protected by the disability act, then you are disabled; nothing changes. Who are they to say what levels of disability deserves help? They are not trained in medical conditions; they are MPs, many with unrelated medical working backgrounds. We are all going to have our own personal battles with these changes if made law. I can only pray and hope that everyone can get through this; it is awful.2 -
About four years ago I developed anorexia and it turns out it was partly due to a fear of being dismissed as faking my mental illness (wonder what government body gave me that thought) after a lot of intensive therapy I recovered by I'd be lying if I wasn't seriously thinking about letting that eating disorder back in. Ok lying a bit because I think I already did
I keep telling myself recovery was a mistake which logically I know is a really dark thing to think
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Agree.
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It be interesting to see if the questions for pip will remain the same. Also they say some will never need another pip review. Will they list these conditions..
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They'll not remain the same. They've said that there will be changes to the descriptors, or questions if you like.
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