in a report published today, the Commons All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Poverty and Inequality has condemned the “sweeping cuts” to benefits for disabled people outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper.
More than 40 Labour MPs are member of the APPG, which is co- chaired by Green MP Sian Berry and Labour peer Baroness Lister who said:
“Disabled people already face unacceptable levels of hardship. These proposals won’t remove barriers to employment—they will add new ones by stripping people of the income they rely on to survive. The evidence is clear: these cuts will deepen inequality and force people further into crisis. We urge the government to listen to those most affected and change course immediately.”
The report found that disabled households face additional barriers and costs, including higher spending on food, heating, transport and medical support, which can amount to additional costs of over £1,000 per month.
These costs, combined with inaccessible public services and a punitive social security system, already push many disabled people to the brink.
Yet the Government’s Green Paper proposes sweeping cuts to disability benefits, most notably changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element of Universal Credit. Our report warns that:
- Up to 800,000 people could lose PIP support entirely
- Some individuals stand to lose up to £886 per month
- 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into poverty (government estimate)
- The proposals could result in a £1.1 billion cut to unpaid carers' support
The report recommends:
- Withdrawing the proposed cuts to disability benefits in the Green Paper
- Increasing benefit levels to reflect real living costs and disability-related expenses
- Ending repeated and harmful reassessments
- Co-producing a redesigned social security system with disabled people and disabled people’s organisations
- Investing in accessible housing and transport to tackle structural barriers and inequalities
Finally, it's worth being aware that a number of Benefits and Work readers contacted the APPG on Poverty directly, after we suggested contacting APPGs back at the beginning of April. Their evidence fed directly into the report, proof that your campaigning definitely does make a difference.
You can read the full report here.
