Over 100 Labour MPs are reportedly ready to oppose planned cuts and changes to Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) payments, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP). This comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insists on the need for “reformed”. The new legislation is set to be presented in Parliament this week, with a vote expected shortly.
Have your say! Do you share worries that the changes to benefits and PIP will cut people off from vital support? Do you agree that the country spends too much on welfare payments? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.
The Government plans to cut approximately £5 billion annually from the UK’s welfare budget. The majority of these savings will come from limiting access to PIP, a vital disability benefit. These proposals have sparked concern among campaigners, charities, and some MPs, according to the Mirror.
PIP is a benefit designed for individuals under the state pension age who require assistance with daily activities due to a long-term illness or disability. It’s important to note that claimants can be employed.
A recent Government impact assessment accompanying the reforms has raised eyebrows. It suggests that the proposed changes could push up to 250,000 individuals, including 50,000 children across England, Scotland, and Wales, into relative poverty after housing costs.
There are approximately 3.7 million individuals in the UK currently receiving PIP, a figure projected to rise to 4 million by the decade’s end. The Government insists that reforms are necessary to ensure the benefit’s sustainability for future recipients.
Potential changes to make PIP more difficult to obtain or retain could include:.
- Reintroducing reassessments for those on incapacity benefits who are capable of work, ensuring they receive appropriate support and are not disregarded.
- Refocusing PIP towards those with greater needs by altering the eligibility requirement to a minimum score of four on at least one of the daily living activities to qualify for the daily living component of the benefit, alongside the existing eligibility criteria.
- Adjusting payment levels in Universal Credit to enhance the Standard Allowance.
- Proposing a consultation on postponing access to the health component of Universal Credit until an individual is 22 years old, with savings reinvested into work support and training opportunities via the Youth Guarantee.
- Other suggested alterations include:.
- The proposal includes ending reassessments for disabled individuals who will never be able to work and those with lifelong conditions, ensuring they can live with dignity and security.
- It also suggests scrapping the Work Capability Assessment to end a process that drives people into dependency, delivering on the UK Government’s manifesto commitment to reform or replace it.
- Additionally, it proposes providing improved employment support backed by £1 billion, including new tailored support conversations for people on health and disability benefits to break down barriers and unlock work.
- The plan also includes legislating to protect those on health and disability benefits from reassessment or losing their payments if they take a chance on work.
Have your say! Do you share worries that the changes to benefits and PIP will cut people off from vital support? Do you agree that the country spends too much on welfare payments? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.
