‘We believe if you can work, you should work,’ declared Chancellor Rachel Reeves three months ago, as she went through a raft of welfare reforms in her spring statement.
That was part of the reasoning for major cuts to benefits, including Universal Credit and the Personal Independence Payment (Pip) for disabled people.
By making those measures less generous, the state would save money and people would be incentivised to find work – or so the government argued.
But back in the Chancellor’s constituency of Leeds West and Pudsey, Anastasia Tempest was watching on in frustration.
Anastasia, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, had been searching for work for some time and was being supported in that effort by a local organisation called Pathways to Progress.
But around the same time Reeves was giving her speech in Westminster, Pathways to Progress was closing its doors permanently. It had lost its government funding.
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Anastasia told Metro: ‘They’re cutting back on access to work.
‘That’s a very good scheme and there needs to be more support, because there isn’t a lot of support. And the support that was there has either been cut or eradicated altogether.’
The initial measures announced by the Department for Work and Pensions in March were watered down last week as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced a significant rebellion from Labour backbenchers.
Most significantly, everyone currently on Pip will continue to receive the same level of payment, with the changes to eligibility only applying to new claimants from November next year.
However, a government assessment of the changes published today revealed 150,000 people would still be pushed into poverty under the altered measures.
Charlotte Gill, Head of Campaigns and Public Affairs at the MS Society, says: ‘We’re appalled that the government are choosing to rush through this reckless and harmful bill.
‘It’s outrageous that MPs are being asked to vote for dramatic welfare changes, without having time to properly scrutinise their impact.’
What concessions have been made to the welfare bill?
Facing a rebellion of more than 120 backbench Labour MPs, Keir Starmer announced a range of concessions to the bill ahead of a debate and vote today.
- All current Pip recipients will stay on the system without any changes
- The changes to eligibility – including the requirement for recipients to get at least four points from a single activity in their assessment in order to qualify – will only apply to those who claim after November 2026
- 200,000 people with the most severe, lifelong conditions will not be called for a University Credit reassessment
- Current recipients of the UC health element and some new claimants who have 12 months or less to live will see their income rise at least in line with inflation until 2029/30
Anastasia said she doesn’t like seeing Pip being ‘abused’ and accepts it can be misused.
She said: ‘I do think it’s really good if somebody with a disability or some kind of health condition can work, even if it’s a little bit, it can be quite healthy.
‘I mean, it’s a difficult one, because Pip shouldn’t be used for people not to work.’
But she said the Chancellor could find alternative ways to find money: ‘I have met Rachel Reeves on Zoom. I spoke to her once a couple of years ago.
‘If I was to speak to her again, I would ask, go after the billionaires.’
Anastasia continued: ‘Why people with disabilities? Pip is often misunderstood, it’s not means tested, and I think it’s good that it’s not means tested because it’s related to having a disability.
‘Nobody, nobody wants to be disabled. Nobody would choose to be disabled. You know, I don’t choose to have cerebral palsy.
‘I think some people think, I mean, I’ve read stuff, they think you receive a lot of money if you have a disability. That’s nonsense.’
Today, MPs will vote for the first time on the welfare cuts when the Universal Credit (UC) and PIP Bill has its second reading in the House of Commons.
The proposed legislation is expected to pass following the government concessions, but the PM is still likely to see one of his biggest MP rebellions just days ahead of his first anniversary in the job.
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