UK: Disability benefits (UC, ESA and PIP) - news and updates 2024 and 2025

[MrMagoo]

It is not, in my experience, about how things affect at least me.

Unless you have a recent diagnosis, apparently by a consultant, that, in their opinion, backs up your statements, then no award is likely.

Given that, in their opinion, ME is nothing more significant than the sniffles.......they quite simply ignored anything I said that contradicted their opinion, sent a DWP hit man to the tribunal, that I was unable to attend, and the judge, in the the statement of reasons, pretty much called me a liar.

So, no, in my experience it's not just based on how you're affected.

Whatever you show them or tell them, they ignore and argue black is white and the moon revolves around the sun.

 

[John Mac]

I wish they’d do an NHS England and delete all the stupid “assessments”. You just write in and tell them what’s wrong, show the medical paperwork, boom.

This is what did happen to me back in 2009 regarding my mortgage illness insurance with the Halifax.
I filled in a request form and for two years sent them my sick/fit notes every few weeks and they paid my monthly mortgage amount.
I took out that insurance and when I qualified for it they paid out, no fuss.
This is what should have happened with the DWP.
I paid National Insurance and when I qualified for sickness benefit (with the documentary proof ) they should have just paid out.
Not the endless jumping through hoops treating you like a liar.
The contrast between the two insurance schemes was stark.

 

[CRG]

This is what did happen to me back in 2009 regarding my mortgage illness insurance with the Halifax.
I filled in a request form and for two years sent them my sick/fit notes every few weeks and they paid my monthly mortgage amount.
I took out that insurance and when I qualified for it they paid out, no fuss.
This is what should have happened with the DWP.
I paid National Insurance and when I qualified for sickness benefit (with the documentary proof ) they should have just paid out.
Not the endless jumping through hoops treating you like a liar.
The contrast between the two insurance schemes was stark.

But NI is NOT an insurance scheme in the usual sense - it is a payment based entitlement to the Old Age Pension with scheme operating so that current payment pays the current bill, not invested for the future - which is why UK state pensions are declining in value as the country ages. It is also the case that NI payments are a passport for entitlement to SOME other State benefits but the NI income is not used to pay for those benefits.

All Insurance schemes are open to fraud and Insurance comapanies invest heavily in fraud investigation - but they operate a risk based assessment on claims preffring to load the cost of undiscovered fraud onto the premium payers. Insurance companies also get to choose who their customers are both by outright refusal of certain classes of people and by the elevation of Premiums above the income level of those who are unattractive as customers. The UK state schemes work on a basis of inclusivity and at a scale of risk no commercial operator could sustain.

There's a moral question about why fraud in the poorest sectors of UK society is so rigourously prosecuted when the amongst the wealthiest (Tax) there is inadequate investigation, but that's an argument for higher level of dilgence in the tax system not less in the benefits system. Which of course doesn't mean the benefits system can't be administered with humanity and decency - and without the current Kafkaesque regime.

 

[Kitty]

Another nice cheering Grauniad article:

Keir Starmer will unveil drastic cuts to disability benefits on Tuesday, despite deep opposition from Labour MPs and poverty campaigners, and warnings from economists against making kneejerk savings to hit fiscal targets.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...ic-disability-benefit-cuts-despite-opposition

I guess we'll find out. The government might have released the detail with a dire-sounding headline so that people are relieved when it's not quite as bad as they'd feared.

 

[MrMagoo]

See I read somewhere that they said jobless people are claiming additional benefits because Universal Credit isn't enough to live on. So they are going to increase Universal Credit but decrease the extra benefits, so people don’t do this.

Now that may or may not be true, but it makes a little bit more sense that all the other guff that’s being reported.

 

[JellyBabyKid]

12.30pm Tuesday 18th Liz Kendall will give her speech.

The Green paper will be published as soon as she stands up.

 

[Sasha]

See I read somewhere that they said jobless people are claiming additional benefits because Universal Credit isn't enough to live on. So they are going to increase Universal Credit but decrease the extra benefits, so people don’t do this.

So if you're sick but don't qualify for UC, you get your benefits cut. Outstanding.

 

[John Mac]

Benefit changes Green Paper
https://www.gov.uk/government/consu...nd-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper


From BBC website:

Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) and employment and support allowance (ESA) will be merged into a new time-limited unemployment insurance which will be paid at a higher rate, without having to prove you cannot work in order to get it, she says.

She outlines criticisms of the current work capability assessment, announcing Labour will not go ahead with the Conservative's proposals to change it, and instead will scrap it entirely by 2028.

In future, extra financial support for health conditions in universal credit will only be assessed through Personal Independence Payment (Pip) so extra income is based on the impact of someone's health condition or disability, not on their capacity to work, she says.

Kendall now talks about a "right to try" scheme, so people can go back to work without fearing for their benefits.

She says the current system is based on a binary assessment of "can or can't work", which does not take into account fluctuating symptoms.

She says the government will balance the payments in universal credit from April next year.

There will be an additional premium for people who will never be able to work.

She also announces a permanent above inflation rise to universal credit to £775 by 2029/30.

Kendall continues by saying the government will not means test or freeze Personal Independence Payment (Pip).
She says that instead claimants will need to score four points in at least one activity.

Most crucially, so far, she has confirmed the expectation that eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (Pip) will be narrowed.
This section of the announcement was described in terms of what “points” a claimant would need to qualify but around a million people are likely to be affected.

The key changes so far published at 13:15

We're still listening to the Commons, but here's some of what we've heard so far:
Universal credit:

• There will be permanent above-inflation rises to universal credit
• Universal credit claimants with severe, lifelong disabilities will not usually face benefits reassessments
• The work capability assessment for universal credit is to be scrapped in 2028 - the assessment essentially determines whether someone is able to work

'Right to try':

• People will have the right to try returning to work "without the fear this will put their benefits at risk". Kendall says this will tackle the "perverse financial incentives... which actively encourage people into welfare dependency"

Personal independence payments:

• People will need to score a minimum of four points in one category to qualify for the daily living element of Pip, which is the main disability benefit. This won’t affect the mobility component of Pip

Savings:

• Kendall says the crackdown on benefits aims to save £5bn by 2030

Probably the most significant announcement that was not trailed in advance was Kendall’s announcement that those aged under 22 will no longer be able to claim the incapacity benefit top up to universal credit.
That appears designed to disrupt the flow of young people from school straight onto health benefits – one of the issues which has most alarmed ministers.

At-a-glance: Key changes to benefits in welfare shake-up
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyd2p7dz3vo

 

[Trish]

If JSA and ESA are time limited, what happens after that if you can't work?

 

[hinterland]

If JSA and ESA are time limited, what happens after that if you can't work?

I don’t know, Universal Credit perhaps?

 

[Sasha]

According to the BBC:

'We will not means test or freeze Personal Independence Payment (Pip)'published at 13:14
13:14

Kendall continues by saying the government will not means test or freeze Personal Independence Payment (Pip).

She says that instead claimants will need to score four points in at least one activity.

Pip announcement likely to prove most politically controversialpublished at 13:15
13:15

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

There’s a lot here, which Liz Kendall is racing through from the despatch box.

Most crucially, so far, she has confirmed the expectation that eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (Pip) will be narrowed.

This section of the announcement was described in terms of what “points” a claimant would need to qualify but around a million people are likely to be affected.

This is likely to prove the most politically controversial element of today’s announcements, within the Labour Party at least.

 

[PrairieLights]

Well, watching the parliament discuss the benefits over hauling didn't make me feel any better.

I still feel scared that when my PIP gets reviewed they won't understand all over again.... Plus now I a worried maybe that will involve a face to face interview as well so they can miss judge on one moment and not see later or the next day. On my original application I was judged on the tone of my voice not demonstrating pain. When I did the first mandatory reconsideration I argued to fervently on how dare they comment on the tone of my voice I've birthed two children without yelling or showing pain on my face so why do they think constant muscle soreness and such has to appear on my voice WHILE LAYING DOWN?? The assessor actually laughed.

 

[Chestnut tree]

Not from the UK but knowing how stressful the process is to get disability I really feel for you all.

 

[Kitty]

She says that instead claimants will need to score four points in at least one activity.

That is quite a change then, because at the moment people may get an award even if they only score two in several areas—they can add up to enough to cross the threshold for the lower payment.

 

[PrairieLights]

That is quite a change then, because at the moment people may get an award even if they only score two in several areas—they can add up to enough to cross the threshold for the lower payment.

I actually don't understand what they mean with this.

 

[Chestnut tree]

It is not, in my experience, about how things affect at least me.

Unless you have a recent diagnosis, apparently by a consultant, that, in their opinion, backs up your statements, then no award is likely.

Given that, in their opinion, ME is nothing more significant than the sniffles.......they quite simply ignored anything I said that contradicted their opinion, sent a DWP hit man to the tribunal, that I was unable to attend, and the judge, in the the statement of reasons, pretty much called me a liar.

So, no, in my experience it's not just based on how you're affected.

That sounds terrible Wonko, ugh so sorry you had to deal with that

 

[Sasha]

I actually don't understand what they mean with this.

You get points for each level of a particular activity. So for walking, you'd get maybe two points if you can't walk 200m, four points if you can't walk 50m, eight points if you can't walk 20m, etc. (I've made these numbers up, but that's the principle).

So the new requirement insanely means that you have to do very badly in at least one area, as opposed to struggling moderately in many areas.

 

[Kitty]

I actually don't understand what they mean with this.

For instance, I scored 19 points for daily living across 10 different activities. On nine of the activities, I scored between 0 (no difficulty) and 3 (can do it with assistance). The total of 19 is got by adding up the score for each activity.

There's only one activity where I scored 4 points (can't do it at all).

If it weren't for that, under the new proposals I'd get no award even though the total score is quite high. At the moment, 19 points is enough to qualify for the enhanced rate.

It'd be a heck of a financial difference to someone on means tested benefits.

 

[PrairieLights]

Ok. So this system is far worse sounding.

I got zero total twice and ended up getting granted basic rate in both by a vase worker before the tribunal so no idea how many points that actually ended up being.

 

[Kitty]

You get points for each level of a particular activity. So for walking, you'd get maybe two points if you can't walk 200m, four points if you can't walk 50m, eight points if you can't walk 20m, etc. (I've made these numbers up, but that's the principle).

Yep, although it only applies to daily living. For some reason they've left mobility as it is.

Maybe it's part of trying to reduce the number of people with mental ill health who qualify for daily living? Not that there's any difference between can't do something because your legs don't work and can't do it because of a mental illness—you still can't do it.