Rachel Reeves told the Today programme this morning that the government would not U-turn on its proposed cuts to sickness and disability benefits, while also saying that ministers would listen to “representations” from people wanting changes. (See 10.14am.)
As for what this means, there is more detail in a letter that Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, send to the Commons work and pensions committee about the cuts. It was published by the committee on its website yesterday.
Kendall confirmed that the government is conducting a review of how the assesment for Pip (the personal independence payment –a non-means tested benefit for disabled people) is carried out. This will be led by Stephen Timms, the disability minister.
But she also said that the government needs to legislate urgently on its plans, because the bill needs to pass by November for the benefit changes to be implemented in time for the 2026-27 financial year. She said the bill would need to start going through parliament before the Timms review was finished, and this meant the key changes were not subject to review.
She explained:
We have consistently been clear that we are not consulting on every proposal. Instead, parliament will have the opportunity to fully debate, propose amendments to, and vote on areas where we have announced urgent reforms that are not subject to consultation.
With Pip caseload and costs forecast to continue rising, reforms are needed now to make the system sustainable, while supporting those people with the greatest needs.
And, referring to the Timms review, she says:
Our long-term ambition is to make Pip fit for the future for those it supports, which is why we have recently launched a wider review of the Pip assessment … The Pip assessment review will rightly take time and require extensive engagement, and we cannot wait for its conclusion to make the urgently needed changes to the Pip eligibility criteria.
Cutting eligibiligy for Pip was one of the main proposals, and the most controversial, in the Pathways to Work green paper published in March. There is a summary of all the plans here. The government wants to legislate to change Pip so people will need to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to qualify for the “daily living element” from November 2026. In the green paper it said: “We are not consulting on this measure.”
The government is due to bring a bill implementing these changes to the Commons for second reading very soon.
