The third reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill has started.

MPs will be debating and voting on large number of proposed amendments before the vote on the whole bill, which is expected to be at around 7.00pm

You can watch the debate live on parliament tv here.

We won’t be giving a blow-by-blow account of the various debates and votes, but you are welcome to comment on proceedings below the line.

There is a very detailed guide to today’s proceedings, including which amendments will be voted on available on the parliament website.

Other documents relating to the bill are on this page

 This is the final list of amendments, running to 34 pages.


The government was not defeated at any point in the voting.  However, they did give a large number of concessions in relation to New Claus 11, moved by Dr Marie Tidball, relating to co-production of the Timms review.  As a result Dr Tidball withdrew her amendment.

At 17.50 onwards, Timms called the amendment "a helpful checklist" and said that the government would "closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities in carrying out the review."

He also said "I accept the proposal in section 4 of her new clause for a group to co-produce the review. Not so much to provide independent oversight as to lead and deliver it . . . I agree with her that the majority of group member need to be disabled people or representatives of disabled people's organisations and that they need to be provided with adequate support, including towards their cost of travel and taking part. . .  The outcome of the review will be central to the legislation that follows"


47 Labour MPs voted against the bill at third reading, 333 Labour MPs voted in favour, along with 3 independents.  This compares with the second reading, where 49 Labour MPs voted against.  The second reading had a majority of 75, so there has been a slight increase at third reading.


The bill has passed its third reading by 336 votes to 242.  Labour currently has 403 MPs, and a majority of 165 but this vote passed with a majority of just 84.


The question that clause 5 stand part of the bill was asked and the Noes had it without a vote.  Clause 5 was the PIP 4-point rule, so it is now officially no longer part of the legislation: there is not going to be a 4-point rule in the final bill.


After a short delay, votes on the amendments are available here.

So far, the government are very easily winning the votes. 

For example, the first amendment debated, a Green party amendment that would have increased the UC standard allowance by 4.8% every year from 2026 to 2030 had 35 votes in favour, 469 against.

A LibDem amendment that would prevent most of the Bill coming into force until a range of reports and consultations had been completed had 105 votes in favour and 370 against.


17.59 parliament tv  Stephen Timms, DWP disability minister on the severe conditions criteria:

"The severe conditions criteria in the bill exactly reflects how the functional tests are applied at present.  That is in guidance. It’s being moved in this bill into legislation.  It does take account of Parkinson’s.  It does take account of MS.  Because people need to meet the descriptors reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a reasonable time frame.  And so I can give a very firm assurance to those who are concerned about how the severe conditions criteria will work for those on fluctuating conditions.

"The word constantly here refers, as I said in my intervention earlier, to the functional criteria needing to apply at all times, not to somebody’s symptoms."

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 hours ago
    I’m sorry if this is a silly question, I didn’t get the watch the whole of parliament today but saw that they “won” the third reading. Does this mean it’s going ahead now? Is it a money bill or will it now go to Lords? I’m so confused by all the changes 
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      · 10 hours ago
      @EDSMUMMA The changes to UC are going ahead for new claimants, but not for current ones unless there is a break in them claiming benefits.
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      · 15 hours ago
      @EDSMUMMA That’s an important question. Can someone pls answer. I would like to know as well.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 hours ago
    I know you said you won’t give a running commentary on the votes, but it’d be great if you could publish a clear summary of what happened tonight as soon as possible.  I can’t remember which amendment was which and don’t have a sense of where all this leaves us.  Other than a general sense of despair, of course. 
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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 hours ago
    So the big questions:

    Has Lindsay Hoyle the speaker now officially given the bill the nod to be turned into a money bill (and therefore avoid scrutiny from the House of Lords) now the bill has passed its third reading and completed it’s commons stages?

    I’m still not entirely sure what nasties snuck through the bill - it’s been implemented online that the ‘50% rule’ would be scrapped and replaced with only getting awarding descriptors if it affects claimant all of the time rather than the currently most of time (I think this is only for uc but could include pip too) and substantial risk element would be tightened? - but it’s possible I misheard

    Next to no one seems to know every detail this bill entails anymore and apparently supporters of the bill were peddling falsehoods as facts

    I think many disabled and MPs presumed the battle was won already even though it will take weeks to unpick what animal this bill now is

    We will need to pick the energy back up for when the timms review is near completion (which even though timms said he’ll take time other ministers have already suggested it will be completed over the summer and revealed (probably early) autumn 2025) - reeves and Kendall will want another crack of getting more disability cuts (legislation) passed and put in law by their imposed November 2025 deadline date)

    Compared to last week, disabled voices have successfully be reduced back to a whimper - starmer and co successful in silencing us this past week
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 10 hours ago
      @D The BBC says it is expected to be classed as a money bill.  Given that it is now purely financial - with no eligibility changes - there seems no reason why that would not be the case.  

      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2zyvypmeeo
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      · 16 hours ago
      @D If we've been silenced it's only because we shouted down almost every element of the green paper proposals. This is no win for the government, and we need to get back to shouting when the next load of trouble comes.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 hours ago
      @D Timms actually said during the reading that the review won't be completed until autumn 2026. The objection was that it should be completed just before summer recess next year so that MPs have extended time to pore over it's findings. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 hours ago
    I was just reading on Sky news that the next part of the bill is the lords, do we know if going to be classed as a money bill or not?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 hours ago
    Richard Burgon MP, summed up the situation perfectly by saying that if the whip system didn't exist most Labour MPs would be voting against the Bill.  We have too many Labour MPs thinking about their careers rather than their constituents.  
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      · 16 hours ago
      @Radionoush Yup, Burgon for PM!
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      · 17 hours ago
      @Anon25 I agree.  I’m forming the opinion Burgon is a legend.  I wrote to him this morning to say as much. 
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    · 17 hours ago
    Coincidentally… or not… are the media headlines tonight about how people on benefits including sickness benefits are better off than working on minimum wage. 
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      · 17 hours ago
      @Moose As far as successive governments are concerned there is no such thing as someone too ill to work. 
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      · 17 hours ago
      @Moose They're all in it together 🧐
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 17 hours ago
    Was the face to face ammendment, put forward by the tories, voted against?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 14 hours ago
      @pollenpath What was that amendment about? And now what does that mean about face to face Assessments? 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 hours ago
      @maggie Yes it was 🏆 
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    · 17 hours ago
    Maria Tidball has seen much of her amendment accepted by the govt.  From the Guardian:

    Ministers have made another concession to their flagship welfare bill, over an amendment tabled by the Labour MP Marie Tidball in an attempt to enshrine safeguards for disabled people.

    Tidball’s amendment called for a series of protections, including that future changes to the personal independence payment (Pip) be co-produced with disabled people and experts; that the government commit to a clear summer consultation before new eligibility rules for Pip are applied to new claimants; and that measurable targets be set to close the disability employment gap.


    Ministers had already scrapped a proposal to tighten Pip rules for existing claimants, removing the clause entirely from the bill last week to avoid a major rebellion. It also delayed changes for new claimants until after a review led by Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, concludes later this year.

    Speaking at the end of a debate on the report stage of the bill, which was called the universal credit and personal independence payment bill, but has now been renamed the universal credit bill, Timms said the government would accept much of Tidball’s amendment, calling it a “helpful checklist” for changes.

    This included, he said, Tidball’s suggestion in her amendment that his review work with a “disability co-production taskforce”, which would have a majority of representatives who either had a disability or were representatives from disabled people’s groups.

    Any conclusions on the review would be based on “consensus”, he said, adding: “The outcome of the review will be central to the legislation that follows.”

    However, Timms said he would not accept Tidball’s proposal for a 12-month timetable for the review, saying he did not want to “rush” a process scheduled to end in autumn 2026.
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      · 11 hours ago
      @Radionoush The fact that they had no live coverage of the debate and progress of the various amendments this afternoon told me everything I needed to know about where we stand with the Graun. 

      Negligent, to say the least. 
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      · 15 hours ago
      @Radionoush Frances Ryan has been great. 
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      · 17 hours ago
      @Slb The Guardian has towed the party line throughout the passage of the bill.  To read it recently anyone would think the Govt had backed down on everything that harmed disabled people.  Since the second reading there has been a strong sense of “Move along, nothing to see here” in The Guardian.  I’m hugely disappointed in it. 
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    · 18 hours ago
    Watching the debate on TV, but I'm afraid I don't understand it. If someone could summarise I'd be very grateful. Is it going well for us or not?  Suppose I will have to wait for an update from b&w. It really annoys me that I don't understand it all. 
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      · 18 hours ago
      @Cuckoo21 Yes I'm the same, trying to find any information online is proving to be a nightmare
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    · 18 hours ago
    MPs don’t need any experience or qualifications of any sort only votes.
    That’s a huge worry indeed…
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    · 18 hours ago
    We are all rabbits caught in the glare of the headlights!
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    · 19 hours ago
    Wow I take back everything nice  I've said about the Tory man on the DWP committee, he's speaking now parroting all the anti mental health stuff. Really are no good tories
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    · 19 hours ago
    I'm beginning to believe that before voting on a matter in the Commons, MPs should be given a test on their knowledge of it.  They would need to pass the test to be allowed to vote.  We don't pay their wages to spout drivel and vote in line with misinformed prejudices. 
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      · 16 hours ago
      @Slb An assessment 🙂‍↕️ 
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      · 17 hours ago
      @James After all, we are tested to prove we are disabled!
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      · 17 hours ago
      @Slb Might be great if they are given a test before being allowed to run as an MP 
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      · 18 hours ago
      @Slb Exactly.  I have thought that too. 
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      · 18 hours ago
      @Slb
      "I'm beginning to believe that before voting on a matter in the Commons, MPs should be given a test on their knowledge of it. They would need to pass the test to be allowed to vote"

      The result of that would be that most of them would never get to vote on anything.

      It's a great idea.
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    · 20 hours ago
    I'm now starting to develop a facial twitch every time I hear timms voice. This also applies to anyone saying he's well respected. What I wouldn't give to have someone say disabled people and sick wouldn't trust him if he said water was wet! 
    I'm listening but if I here the shadow DWP woman I'm clicking off, no way can I take listening to her tell me I just need to cope better with theuosand downs of life or whatever..... I do so enjoy having people in power voice all my self hatred out loud
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    · 20 hours ago
    Alison Hume MP labour Scarborough & Whitby just gave a powerful & impassionate speech and as ask the government to pull this bill.
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    · 20 hours ago
    An MP has said the longer people remain on disability and sickness benefits the more disabled or unwell they are. So we need to get people off disability and sickness benefits. With such genius insights I wonder if next they will proposing chucking people out of hospitals after 1 week as the longer people stay in hospital the more ill they are. And people who leave hospital earlier are more well. 
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      · 19 hours ago
      @John It's crazy.  They have underfunded the NHS for years, there is no access to mental health services, and they wonder why people are getting ill!?  It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots. 

      They then relentlessly attack every facet of our lives, constantly cutting our money and forcing us into poverty - we get more ill.  

      What a horrible government we have, uncaring and unsympathetic.  As was the previous one.  
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      · 19 hours ago
      @John Indeed.
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      · 19 hours ago
      @John Wowwwww. Soon there'll be no need for Gps ,Nurses or Consultants.  Its a miracle. We now know the cure for all our ills. 
      You couldn't make it up. Absolutely ridiculous nonsense. 
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    · 21 hours ago
    Such an important bill, that will affect so many disabled, yet how few  mp's have bothered to turn up for the debate.
    The chamber should be full to bursting.
    I bet all the aye's will be there later for the vote.
    Why am I not surprised.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 21 hours ago
    A MP praised the bill on the basis it would take 50,000 people out of poverty. Presumably they do not read Benefits and Works News stories. 
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    · 21 hours ago
    Can't believe that the chamber is nearly empty.