News

Being a money bill this won't affect the outcome of the bill going into law but it should help to keep the pressure on for real co-production in the Timms review. 

Closing date 15 September 2025

Along with being removed in future from being assessed as eligible for the Severe Conditions Criteria group by the Universal Credit bill.

Those receiving UC LCWRA due to substantial risk are also being specifically targeted from April 2026 in the restarted WCA reassessments. As they make up about one sixth of LCWRA recipients, all those overdue a reassessment might get reassessed by 2028/29 when the WCA gets abolished.

This seems unfair. They are not simply reassessing everyone on LCWRA based on how short their award was or how overdue a reassessment they are. They are specifically targeting those receiving UC LCWRA due to substantial risk.

And cruel, they are the very group most likely to suffer detrimental effects to their health from having to go through the reassessment process. And the government is abolishing the WCA in 2028/29 because it causes harm.

It seems motivated by prejudice as those receiving LCWRA for substantial risk are going by government and media rhetoric mostly for mental health.

And seems motivated by politics not economics. As when the WCA is abolished in 2028/29 and replaced by PIP daily living giving eligibility for UC health. They are a group most likely to lose their UC LCWRA/health anyway. So targeting them now may reduces the headline figure of how many lose UC health when the WCA is abolished.

I'm hoping this link works. I still find it astounding that Stephen Timms can announce proudly that the new PIP review would be named after him when he was the architect of so much distress and harm up to this point. He should never be in charge of the review what can we do about this? Him and Liz "taking the mickey" Kendall should go!

Regarding the health element I'm not sure you'll have to contact DWP,however regarding DLA to PIP ( see below)

On Morning Live program BBC Thursday 3rd July at approx 10 am 
Their reporter,who had contacted DWP, comfirmed that :
Existing claimants on PIP due for review will fall under old system ie don't need 4 points for one activity.

Moving from DLA to PIP there is no change there either IE you don't need 4 points for one activity etc

I personally would wait as long as possible to migrate from DLA to PIP especially if you're on an indefinite award.

Me and many of my friends were on DLA indefinite awards and when changed over to PIP we had to go for reassessment whereby we was awarded lower for both Care and Mobility, thus appeals and stress etc 

Avoid as long as possible hope this helps

Government announces a 6 weeks consultation on extending watersure scheme to people in receipt of non means tested benefits if they have a qualifying medical condition and are in receipt of AA, DLA, or PIP. 

They are seeking the views should disability benefits be included in the financial calculation, which may mean even less claimants qualify. 

I’ve provided a link to the consultation which closes 1st September 2025.

And another ‘thank you for your thank you’:

Thank you for getting in touch regarding the decision by the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) to remove the Labour whip from me and several of my colleagues.

I have been overwhelmed by the flood of supportive messages from across the constituency and beyond since the whip was removed. Although I cannot reply individually to everyone, I have been reading them as they came in and would like to thank everyone for their kindness and solidarity, it has truly meant a lot.

I want to reassure you that my commitment to serving the people of North East Hertfordshire remains unwavering. I will continue to fight every day for the needs of my constituents, and nothing will change in how I engage with and represent those I was elected to serve.

I remain proud to have been elected as a Labour MP, and I am committed to supporting the government in delivering the bold and transformative agenda set out in the manifesto I was elected on last July.

I hope, in time, to return to the Labour benches. However, in the interim, I will continue the vital work of a parliamentarian—scrutinising legislation, contributing to debates, and working constructively to improve the laws that affect us all. This is the approach I took with the Planning & Infrastructure Bill, the Universal Credit & Personal Independence Payment Bill, and other key pieces of legislation.
Our parliamentary democracy works best when MPs are empowered to engage thoughtfully in the legislative process. I believe that when we do so, the outcomes are better for everyone.

I assure you that I will continue to fight for a country that puts people and nature before profit. To those who ask how we can afford a fairer, greener future, I say this: we must take a hard look at the £200 billion in tax breaks handed out every year, the £20 billion in corporate subsidies, and ask ourselves whether we can truly afford to maintain the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7.

Thank you again for your support—it means a great deal.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Hinchliff MP
Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire

Thank you response received to my thank you email to rebel MPs:

Many thanks for taking the time to email and for your message of support. It's one of many I’ve received since Wednesday – each one has meant a lot to me during this difficult time.

Since losing the whip for speaking out against cuts to PIP and other benefits, more people have reached out than I expected. People from the constituency and beyond - disabled people, pensioners, miners and community organisers - have shown incredible solidarity. It’s greatly appreciated.

I do not regret what I have said these last 12 months. I stood up because I believe MPs are there to represent people and communities, not just follow party orders - especially when it comes to vulnerable individuals already hit hard by austerity.

The temporary suspension of the Labour whip has been confusing and even upsetting, but it doesn’t change things. My commitment hasn’t wavered. I remain proud to stand for Labour ideals: solidarity, respect and justice. That means continuing the fight for disability support, securing future jobs and investment at Grangemouth, and making sure every community voice is heard in Westminster. Constituents and country, not party, come first.

Your support and everyone else’s means the world to me and my incredible staff. Thank you for standing with us.

In solidarity,

Brian

Here’s a link to the Work and Pensions Committee’s 5 current inquiries - where we can track progress. The Safeguarding one seems particularly pertinent to our questions around Universal Credit SCC and substantial risk.

-    Employment support for disabled people
-    Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work
-    Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres
-    Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations
-    Safeguarding vulnerable claimants

Dear Matthew,

Thank you for your email regarding the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, and welfare reform more widely. I’m writing to you now because the Bill passed Third Reading in the House of Commons this week, undergoing many changes along the way, including on the day with new amendments accepted by government and Parliament.

Firstly, I want to acknowledge that any change to the welfare system brings with it very strong feelings, and I understand why that it is. My sister was born with severe disabilities, and I know that people instinctively and rightly want to protect those who need the most protection. That is my instinct too.

Like many of my colleagues, I have been in discussion with ministers about the Bill from the moment the initial proposals were published. So I welcome the recent changes announced by the Government to strengthen the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. I believe in a welfare state that is there for all of us when we need it, now and in the future, that protects the most vulnerable, and that delivers equality and dignity for all.

This Bill will now:
•    Deliver a 16% increase to Universal Credit, the biggest ever permanent increase.
•    Abolish repeated reassessments for people with severe conditions who cannot work, and introduce a premium payment.
•    Lift 50,000 children out of poverty.
•    Deliver record funding for employment support.
•    Protect all people currently on PIP from any future changes.

I also believe the welfare state should enable people to live their best lives, not one that traps them on a very basic income with no hope of being able to secure meaningful work. What we have at the moment, built up over 14 years of Conservative government, is the worst of all worlds – a system that is growing in size, costing far more every year, and failing the people within it. When one in eight young people is on out of work health-related benefits, and not in education, training or employment, we know that something has gone badly wrong. It is a monumental waste of human potential.

We should also be clear that far from cutting the health-related benefits budget, it will continue to grow substantially. Specifically on Personal Independence Payments (PIP), by the end of this parliament there will be around 750,000 more people accessing this benefit than today, and spend will increase by £8bn a year to £31bn a year, from this year’s £23bn. So while I welcome that PIP has been removed from the scope of the Bill completely, I look forward to engaging with the Timms Review in the coming months.

Changes to the Original Proposals:

Following the changes, the Bill will now also ensure that:
•    All existing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) recipients will remain on the current system and the proposed changes to eligibility as part of the bill will only apply to new claims from November 2026 following the Timms Review which will be coproduced with disability organisations. This change protects all existing claimants in receipt of PIP.
•    People who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria – those with the most severe, lifelong conditions who are unlikely to recover - will not be called for a Universal Credit (UC) reassessment.
•    All existing recipients of the UC health element and new customers with 12 months or less to live or who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria will see their standard allowance combined with their Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) rise at least in line with inflation every year from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

Additional support:

Additionally, nearly 4 million households – 6.7 million people - will receive an income boost with the main rate of Universal Credit set to increase above inflation every year for the next four years – estimated to be worth £725 by 2029/30 for a single household aged 25 or over. This is around £250, higher than an inflation only increase. It is the first time ever that UC has risen in this way. No-one who is already receiving an award of Universal Credit or PIP will be pushed in to poverty as a result of the direct impact on their current circumstances of the measures in this Bill.

Comprehensive Review of PIP:

The Government has also launched the first ever comprehensive review of the PIP assessment in over a decade. The Timms Review will be led by the Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms. Many people have reported poor experiences with the assessment process; the current system often fails to reflect the real-world impact of disability on daily life and is no longer fit for purpose - making reform urgent and essential. The review will ensure the system is fair, supportive and reflects the realities of modern life, and considers the changes in society since it was first devised and introduced. This government is committed to ensuring that PIP is a non-means tested cash benefit which is there for people now and for the long-term.

The review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and MPs with the core objective of delivering better experiences and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions. This review will include looking at the activities, descriptors and associated points to ensure these properly capture the impact of long-term health conditions and disability in the modern world.

Support for People to Get Into Work:

I believe that those who can work, should, and that those who cannot, should be protected. These reforms will be underpinned by a significant investment in employment support. Funding will be brought forward to accelerate tailored employment, health and skills support to help disabled people and those with health conditions get into work as part of the government’s Pathways to Work guarantee. £300 million will be brought forward over the next three years, increasing total employment support by £2.2 billion over four years. This will ensure the government’s commitment to spend £1 billion per year by the end of the decade.

The Government is also taking decisive action to improve the lives of disabled people immediately. I welcome the £800 million investment in disability employment support announced in the Autumn Budget, as well as the redeployment of 1,000 work coaches to provide tailored help to sick and disabled people. It is also important that businesses are encouraged to create inclusive environments for disabled employees – so we can promote their recruitment and retention.

Indeed, here in Exeter we also have a fantastic team at PLUSS whom I have visited on several occasions. Their disability employment specialists work closely with people with disabilities to help them find employment that works for them. The "Ability not Disability" (AnD) programme, led by Learn Devon, has also helped over 200 people with disabilities into education, employment, or training. The scheme includes a "Job Guarantee" initiative, matching disabled individuals with employers for three months of paid work and training. This has led to many participants securing full-time positions, significantly boosting their independence and confidence.

Alongside this, the government is also legislating for the Right to Try, so that people can try work safe in the knowledge that accepting a job will not, in and of itself, lead to a reassessment or award review. The current system of complex rules governing whether people receiving disability benefits can work, can often leave them people confused and concerned – leaving them scared of trying a job in case they make errors and potentially lose the support they receive.

Research clearly shows that many economically inactive people want to work, if given the right support. Indeed, the welfare charity Z2K notes that 90% of claimants they have dealt with are afraid of looking for work due to the risk of losing their health-related benefits. This is clearly a system that isn’t working for anyone.

The new Right to Try Guarantee will mean that from next year anyone on PIP, new-style Employment Support Allowance or the Universal Credit health element will be able to try a new job with a guarantee that this will not be considered a relevant change of circumstances. As such, trying work will not trigger a PIP award review or Work Capability Assessment reassessment.

Fixing Public Services:

I also know that many people who are currently on PIP want to improve their mental and physical health, and that the state of the public services left by the Conservative governments has meant this has been difficult.

Since this Labour government came to office one year ago, to better help those with mental ill health the government has recruited more than 6,700 extra mental health workers, while rolling out more access to occupational health services and developing digital resources, so employers better support their staff’s mental wellbeing. We have also invested an extra £29 billion into the NHS, to ensure that waiting lists come down and people receive the healthcare they need. We are also committed to the fight to eradicate poverty, which is why we have increased the National Living Wage, introduced the biggest package of workers' rights measures for a generation, rolled out free school meals to a further 500,000 children and rolled out free breakfast clubs, and we are currently developing our Child Poverty ActionPlan.

It’s clear from listening to residents in Exeter that the welfare system is broken and must be fixed. I hear frustrations from those who want to work but don’t have the support to do so, and frustrations from those who are let down when the system fails. Labour values are built on a simple but powerful idea: that every individual, regardless of background or circumstance, should have the support they need to make the most of their lives. Everyone who is capable of working deserves the security, dignity and autonomy that employment offers. There are some people who are not able to work, and it is vital that they are treated with compassion and respect. For those that can, it is equally critical that we restore the pathways to opportunity which are currently lacking for millions of people.

Sustainability of the Welfare System:

It is also important to recognise that the welfare and benefits system must also be fair to taxpayers – it is unsustainable to allow a system to continue that traps people who can and want to work into unemployment and a life on benefits, while leaving people who work and pay tax to pick up an ever-larger bill. PIP now costs £23 billion a year – twice the amount it cost five years ago. Every day, 1000 people are newly added to the PIP system, meaning that three times the population of Exeter is added every year.

Next Steps:

Finally, in terms of the amendment that was tabled to the Bill, like most of my colleagues I did not sign the amendment as I believe the welfare system – designed and implemented by the last Tory and Lib Dem governments – needs reform. However, in advance of welfare reform announcements I spoke to ministers to make clear my position that there will always be people with severe health conditions or disabilities meaning that they cannot work – and that they should continue to be protected and supported.

Since the proposals were announced in March, I have continued to make representations to Ministers and others, informed by my own views and those of residents in Exeter who have been in touch, to ensure we got the right outcome, that protects those who cannot work and helps those who can into work.

At this stage having seen the amendments and the exclusions, I am content with the broad scope of the Bill, and the many good measures that are contained within it. It is for that reason I voted in favour. Thank you for writing to me with your concerns, which in aggregate I continue to raise with ministers.

Best wishes,



Steve Race MP