Reform UK to scrap PIP, UC health element

mawempathy
mawempathy Community Member Posts: 156 Empowering

On Monday next week, Reform UK will publish the most radical approach to slashing the welfare state in British history:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz977nxww1jo

Reform will scrap PIP, health elements of UC and replace them with a "Health Security Allowance" that will only be available to the most "severe, enduring and high-risk cases". Other disabled people in need of financial support will have to apply at the council level, providing receipts and evidence for allowable additional costs that a Reform government will define.

For most benefit claimants, this will mean living on the basic Universal Credit Allowance plus any Housing Benefit entitlements.

Reform estimates 2.89 million people will have their disability payments' removed, or cut substantially.

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Comments

  • mawempathy
    mawempathy Community Member Posts: 156 Empowering

    Labour's response: "Reform's £50 billion claim is fantasy economics, built on stripping support from disabled people and shifting costs onto employers.

    The Tories: "This half-baked policy is just another Reform attempt to distract from Farage's fishy £5m and his embarrassing underperformance in his pointless by-election."

    Labour are preparing their own cuts to welfare as the Timms review draws close to its final determinations.

    The Conservatives are targeting at least £28bn in welfare savings should they win the next election - much of which will mean cuts to PIP, restoration of the two child cap, and a household cap on benefits that will include disability payments as part of the calculation.

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,465 Championing

    So what do they consider severe and high risk. This is worrying. My conditions copd and hypermobility syndrome disorder. My doctor referred me back to the rheumatologist for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Won't get better for any of them. It effects the whole body.

  • mawempathy
    mawempathy Community Member Posts: 156 Empowering

    Not known yet. They are publishing a policy paper tomorrow that may give us more clues.

    Reform are currently about a 35% chance to win most seats at the next election. Most likely they would need Conservative support to govern, but a confidence & supply deal is not out of the question.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community Member Posts: 3,681 Championing

    You beat me to it - by 3 minutes !

  • WhatThe
    WhatThe Community Member, Scope Member Posts: 6,150 Championing

    They'd be as influential as the LieDems were in coalition..

  • Bingo
    Bingo Community Member Posts: 79 Empowering
    edited August 16

    I also came on here to post this. Its relevant as our community needs to be aware as it was always going to be the case that once the small boats crisis started to wain and reduce and it has their next divisive target would be the disabled and right on cue there we have it.

    Hopefully Farage and Reform are on their way out but don't bank on it. This thread is important as people need to be aware and informed. Reform and Farage are not your friends unless you are one of their super rich backers.

  • mawempathy
    mawempathy Community Member Posts: 156 Empowering

    Yes, exactly. I don't think Reform can be ignored because they are currently only marginally behind Labour in the polls. And last year, Reform were heavy favourites to win the next election.

    Cutting the working age benefits budget by more than one-third will be absolutely catastrophic for many of us. I'd need to find a home to rent at housing benefit level, which is basically impossible, and then live on about £400 a month for everything else - food, heating, water, electricity, council tax, internet, travel, etc. plus emergencies when something goes wrong.

  • MrHappy2
    MrHappy2 Community Member Posts: 40 Contributor

    The good news is the chances of REFORM getting the keys to number 10 Downing Street are about as slim as me running a **** four minute mile - and i'm in a wheelchair.

  • SheffieldMan1976
    SheffieldMan1976 Posts: 3,571 Connected

    And they want me to vote Reform in 3 years? ****?! It'd literally be like Turkeys voting for Christmas or Thanksgiving.

  • Ironside1990
    Ironside1990 Community Member Posts: 403 Pioneering

    Both Labour and the Tories have condemned these plans.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community Member Posts: 3,681 Championing
    edited August 16

    I also don't believe that Reform stand a cat in hells chance of winning a general election but the fact that they can come out and put such a ludicrous proposal forward as a solution fills me with dread about what the countries politicians could suggest next.

    These are people who we are supposed to trust and put our faith in - not be petrified that they may get into power and destroy our lives !

    Can you imagine - going back to the 19th century for cash handouts, queueing at the local council offices, cap in hand "Thank you Sir" for your weekly pittance / allowance ? I wonder what the local councils will say about reforms plans..

  • Yani09
    Yani09 Community Member Posts: 130 Empowering

    Scratching the ears of the disgruntled.. let’s get the sick and disabled people off life line benefits and into the work place! Level up Britain. Gosh, what a time to be alive as a person with extra needs… always the go to group to threaten.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community Member Posts: 3,681 Championing

    • PIP could not simply be removed by the government
    • Primary legislation changes: PIP’s existence and framework are set in statute, so repeal/major amendment usually needs an Act of Parliament (or equivalent).
    • Secondary legislation changes: even if the core benefit were changed, the eligibility rules, assessment rules, regulations, and regulations-by-approval machinery usually sit in subordinate legislation that also must be amended or revoked.
  • johnnyy85
    johnnyy85 Community Member Posts: 269 Empowering

    so what your saying is reform has no chance of getting this through ?

  • luvpink
    luvpink Community Member Posts: 5,309 Championing

    Who wants you to vote Reform in 3 years?

    We vote for the party of our choice.

  • Wibbles
    Wibbles Community Member Posts: 3,681 Championing
    edited August 16

    It's not impossible but would take a MASSIVE amount more than Farage requesting it - to start with, it would have to go through both houses in parliament - which can take years - with majority votes in both cases !

    18% of Clacton residents are on PIP - what do you imagine would happen if he tried?

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,465 Championing
    edited August 16

    https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16056085/Reform-pledges-welfare-cuts.html#comments-16056085

    Found this ,jenerick gave. Terrible man. He be opening up the workhouses next. Saying councils will provide services, how's that going to pay the bills

  • Andi66
    Andi66 Community Member Posts: 1,465 Championing

    He has no idea how it is to live with a disability either mental or physical. We should all email him telling him what's it like to live with one. He will have blood on his hands if he does this. People won't be able to cope.