PCS responds to government's welfare reform bill

The bill passed its second reading by 335 votes to 260 and cuts to the personal independence payment (PIP) which had been the central pillar of the UK Government's reforms will now not tale place until after a review of the benefit has concluded.

 

The government had planned to change the eligibility criteria for disability benefits for all new claimants from November 2026 but now the new system will not come into force until the review has concluded.

 

PCS President Martin Cavanagh said: "A Labour government should understand what support the most vulnerable need and then work out how to pay for it, not the other way round. Labour is risking the lives of disabled people for the sake of accounting gimmicks. Instead, we need fairer tax for healthier budgets.

 

"There are already about 14 million people living in poverty in the UK and nearly half are disabled themselves, live in a household headed by a disabled person or are the carer for a disabled person. PIP is a vital public benefit paid to people in or out of work to assist with the added costs of living with disability. 

 

For many, it is the difference between being able to work or not."These cuts could still drive more people into poverty, risk forcing disabled workers out of the workplace, and put our dedicated members at DWP in the firing line for the anger of those suffering this injustice."