A Summary of the Disability Cuts Announced
The Disabling Agenda
Unpacking The Commons’ disability cuts announcements of 18th March 2025.
The Commons made some much-anticipated announcements regarding disability benefits yesterday. It’s important to emphasise that no announcements will be immediate, and the issue will be voted on. Many labour MPs are vocally critical of the cuts; there will be time to fight this.
The government has announced significant changes to work and disability benefits, claiming they will unleash the talent of the British people. They also argue that the social security system is failing those it is supposed to support and holding the country back.
With millions of people described as being trapped on benefits, they also highlight what they call a legacy of ‘14 years of Tory failure.’
Currently, 1 in 10 people are claiming sickness or disability benefits, with 1 million young people on benefits and 2.8 million out of work due to long-term sickness. PIP claims are set to double to 4.3 million, with mental health-related claims increasing by 190%, and learning disability-related claims by 400%.
This increase in PIP claims isn’t as scary as it’s being made out. PIP replaced DLA (disability living allowance) so many claimants in the suggested rise aren’t new claimants at all.
My thoughts: We’re also living through an epidemic of disability and mental health. It’s almost as if we’ve had a mass disabling event that people have forgotten about! NHS waiting times have exacerbated health conditions, meaning people who would have been treated now live with chronic health conditions due to the delay in treatment.
Get Britain Working
The focus on employment is concerning, it perpetuates the idea that disabled people are work-shy, lazy and are actively choosing not to work.
The government have announced plans to merge ESA (employment support allowance) with Jobseeker’s Allowance to create a new system and scrap work capability assessment (WCA) by 2028.
A 240 million pound (Get Britain Working) plan and 1 billion per year for tailored employment support have been announced. The government is also expanding statutory sick pay to include 1 million low-paid workers and is introducing more flexible working options. GPs will be encouraged to refer patients to Employment Advisors, and Access to Work will be reformed to ensure it is fit for the future.
My thoughts: GPs have already pushed back about this. It’s not their job, and they do not want this responsibility. It also reinforces that disability in the UK is absolutely under the Medical Model, which is dangerous.
The Universal Credit (UC) health top-up currently provides higher payments to those assessed as unable to work. The government describes this as a “perverse financial incentive” and plans to change it. From April 2025 the additional premium for lifelong conditions will increase and those with severe disabilities on UC will not face repeated reassessments. Assessments will also be recorded as a standard to improve confidence in the process.
The government is delaying the UC health top-up until age 22 and redirecting that funding to skills training. There will also be an expectation to engage and talk about goals/aspirations/skills with a proposed youth guarantee through Get Britain Working.
My thoughts: While this is being framed as an investment in young people’s futures, it raises concerns about those who cannot work or study because of their health conditions. The delay in financial support risks leaving many young disabled people without the stability they need, potentially making it even harder for them to access work or education in the long term. There is also not enough ‘good work’ for young people to be entering into. The lack of accessible and flexible work on offer to young people with no to limited work experience means this is not a solution to drive young people into the workplace.
Could this impact existing disabled employees?
Can your employee still afford – financially, mentally and physically – to work?
The government has committed to working with disability organisations and experts on a PIP review to ensure the system is fit for purpose. Backbenches have highlighted the potential for immense suffering and loss of life, calling for independent monitoring. They have also highlighted how the reasonable adjustment process is flawed, with many calls for better accountability in helping disabled people get into work before these proposed reforms.
My biggest concern is that PIP and employment have been grouped together in the first place.
Many people who have PIP already work.
PIP is not an out-of-work benefit, it’s for people who have long-term conditions to improve daily life.
The daily living component will change from November 2026, while mobility payments will remain unchanged. But this means PIP, a notoriously hard benefit to access, with a fraud rate of 0% (based on the government’s own findings) will be even harder to access.
My thoughts: I know many people at work who have PIP to bridge the cost of how expensive it is to be disabled. This payment is what enables them to be able to work in the first place. Covering accessible transport, carers, holistic therapies, extra heating bills, assistive tools and technology and mobility aides that are either very hard and a long process to access via other means, or simply not available to access for free.
As mentioned earlier, there is still time to fight this. Email your MP and your union (tell them how the cut will impact your ability to remain in work). If it’s safe, you can share your story with local media. Complete the Open Consultation Call for Evidence. The more responses, the better!
If you are an employer or a manager with disabled employees, if you have the opportunity to discuss what these cuts could mean for your team member then approach the conversation with confidentiality and empathy.
You can also contribute to the Call for Evidence on the impact that this will have on recruiting and retaining disabled employees, in an already difficult time for employing disabled talent. I have included the link to the Open Consultation for this under resources below.
We also know that disability benefits are a hot topic that is used to incite hate and drive readership, and big media has reported different stories, so make sure you’re getting your news from different sources and challenge yourself on what you’re reading if you come across conflicting information.
With love and solidarity,
Rachael x