Some PIP recipients may lose out under welfare cuts

Some existent recipients of wellness and disablement benefits are apt to suffer retired nether a planned overhaul of the payment system, which is expected to tighten eligibility criteria for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall volition acceptable retired however the authorities intends to betterment the wellness benefits strategy connected Tuesday afternoon, successful a determination aimed astatine cutting the increasing payment bill.

Her bundle of reforms is expected to see much assistance and enactment for uncovering work, and the extortion of payments to the astir vulnerable.

But the determination has faced absorption from wrong Labour ranks implicit interest for the imaginable interaction connected susceptible claimants.

The authorities is hoping to reassure immoderate recipients, and so immoderate restless Labour MPs, that they volition not suffer retired erstwhile payment reforms are unveiled aboriginal connected Tuesday.

Initial reports had suggested PIP - the main disablement payment successful England and Wales - would beryllium frozen for a year. But reforms are present expected to absorption connected eligibility for the payment alternatively after pushback from Labour MPs.

On Monday, Kendall insisted her planned changes would beryllium fair, and ministers person said they volition support the astir vulnerable.

In practice, this is apt to mean that those intelligibly incapable to enactment volition not look further reassessments of their condition, and volition support the entirety of their payments.

However, the eligibility criteria is acceptable to beryllium tightened for those with little terrible conditions, meaning immoderate existent recipients volition inevitably suffer out.

It is expected that unemployed radical successful receipt of Universal Credit, and who are actively looking for work, volition spot their payment levels emergence - though this is apt to beryllium by a comparatively humble amount.

It is besides expected that radical with disabilities who effort retired a occupation volition not suffer their existing payment entitlement if it goes wrong.

The Times reports that sick and disabled payment claimants volition look much predominant reassessments nether the reforms, but that radical with "permanent oregon degenerative conditions" whitethorn ne'er person to beryllium reassessed.

But the authorities is inactive facing absorption from wrong its ain party, with Labour adjacent Baroness Shami Chakrabarti telling BBC Newsnight it was "wrong successful principle" to chopped benefits from radical suffering from disabilities and illnesses.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is acceptable to present a outpouring connection connected 26 March against the backdrop of worsening economical forecasts, which person accrued the request to find savings to let the authorities to conscionable its self-imposed spending rules.

The premier minister's argumentation squad met Labour MPs past week to sermon savings successful the scope of £5bn to £6bn from imaginable payment reforms.

But Downing Street has said its overhaul is not purely driven by fiscal concerns.

"I deliberation the premier curate has been wide determination is some a motivation and an economical lawsuit for fixing our breached societal information strategy that's holding our radical back, and our state back," Sir Keir Starmer's authoritative spokesperson told reporters connected Monday.

He added that the changes would enactment the payment strategy "back connected a much sustainable path".

Several disablement payment claimants person told the BBC that speculation astir the imaginable of looming cuts has been upsetting.

"It's not a lawsuit of not wanting to [work]," said Alison, 56, who lives with her member successful a assembly spot successful Southampton. "I deliberation astir it each the time. Being connected benefits doesn't marque maine consciousness happy."

Speaking successful the Commons connected Monday, Social Security Minister Sir Stephen Timms admitted speculation successful the run-up to the authoritative announcement had been a root of "anxiety" for claimants, adding: "I'm bittersweet that that's happened, and that radical person been concerned."

Claimant numbers for PIP and Universal Credit payments person accrued importantly successful the 4 years since the pandemic, with full spending connected wellness and disablement benefits forecast to emergence from £64.7bn successful 2023-24 to £100.7bn successful 2029-30.

Kendall said connected Monday that the authorities would not "shy distant from the decisions that we judge are close to springiness opportunities to radical who tin work" but would besides support "security for those who can't".

She added the changes would guarantee "trust and fairness successful the societal information system".

The erstwhile Conservative authorities had explored making it harder for younger radical with intelligence wellness conditions to assertion PIP.

But nary elaborate proposals were announced up of the wide predetermination past July, which saw Labour instrumentality to powerfulness aft 14 years retired of office.

The Conservatives' shadiness enactment and pensions secretary, Helen Whately, questioned Kendall connected Monday reports astir unease among the Cabinet.

Whately asked the curate whether determination was "collective agreement" connected the plans, with Kendall responding that the shadiness caput would person to "show a small patience".