WBG response to Government Changes to Disability Benefit

Responding to today’s speech by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, said:

“We are seriously concerned about the potential impact of the Government’s plans announced today to tighten eligibility for disability benefits, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP), announced as part of an overall £5bn cut to disability support.

“We acknowledge the objective to reform the system to provide Disabled people with the ‘rights, choices, and chances’ to work. We also welcome the Government’s commitment to ending eligibility assessments for those with lifelong conditions and safeguarding income for the those with the most severe disabilities.

“However, we believe that cutting £5bn from Disabled people’s benefits will undermine the Government’s efforts to strengthen the economy and support Disabled people into work. These cuts will have a devastating impact on some of the poorest and most vulnerable individuals, including Disabled women and carers – who already face significant barriers in accessing support and employment opportunities. Cutting their incomes will only exacerbate these challenges, leaving them without the essential help they need.

“The cost-of-living crisis continues to put immense pressure on low-income households and child poverty stands at 34% in families where someone is disabled, compared to 27% in families where no one is disabled ¹ . Recent WBG research shows that Disabled people, particularly Disabled women, have already borne the brunt of cuts to social security and public services, experiencing an 11% drop in living standards since 2010 ² .

“The eligibility restrictions for PIP are especially worrying. As recent analysis by the Child Poverty Action Group shows, 870,000 children are living in families receiving PIP, with a third of them already living in poverty ³ . PIP is also a gateway benefit for unpaid carers (the majority of whom are women) to receive Carer’s Allowance (CA). Therefore, specific eligibility restrictions placed on the daily living component will not only affect Disabled people, but also impact carers’ ability to claim CA.

“These benefit cuts could disproportionately impact disabled victim-survivors of domestic abuse by making it even more difficult for them to access the benefits necessary to work and be financially independent from the abuser. Disabled victim-survivors are nearly twice as likely to experience economic abuse compared to non-disabled women, and are nearly four times more likely to have a partner or ex-partner stop them, or try to stop them, accessing benefits that they or their children are entitled to ⁴ .

“We recognise the financial challenges the Government faces, but scaling back existential support to Disabled people is not the answer. In fact, it directly contradicts the Government’s commitments to ensure that “those with the broadest shoulders will bear the heaviest burden”.

“As other organisations have suggested, there are feasible and fairer options for reform available to the Government that would help increase revenue to pay for the services and welfare desperately needed to address the cumulative impact of austerity, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis on our public services and the most vulnerable in society.

“Oxfam’s latest inequality report showed that the total wealth of UK billionaires increased by £35m per day in 2024 ⁵ . Increasing taxes on the super-rich through a modest wealth tax – such as a 2% levy on assets over £10m – could generate an estimated £24bn a year, to invest in our public services and infrastructure and protect the wellbeing of our communities.

“We look forward to responding to the Government’s consultation, and urge them to ensure the needs and voices of Disabled people are at the forefront of proposals.”

Ends

Contact Press@wbg.org.uk / 07799116631