MPs vote in favour of the welfare bill after PIP amendment

The Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has passed with 335 votes to 260 – a majority of 75 – following a last-minute major concession from the Government.

After weeks of controversy and protest, the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) have now been delayed until a collaborative review with disability groups.

Last week, a reasoned amendment was signed by over 120 Labour MPs, which, if supported by opposition parties, would have been enough to defeat the government.

The amendment stated that this House declines to give a Second Reading to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill because it fails to provide a fair and compassionate approach to reforming disability benefit and is not accompanied by a credible strategy for ensuring that people with disabilities who are able to work receive personalised and effective support into employment.

It also said that the Bill does not include measures developed in collaboration with people with disabilities and carers, or informed by robust evidence and consultation. Nor does it contain measures that an impact assessment conducted by the Department for Work and Pensions forecasts will bring an additional 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty.

In an attempt to curb the rebellion, the Labour Government made some changes so that claimants of PIP and the health element of Universal Credit will continue to receive their existing benefits. Only future claimants would be hit by the planned welfare reform.

However, disability groups universally condemned the ‘concessions’ and said they were unacceptable.

Sir Stephen Timms’ review into PIP

Just today, the Government added a new concession that proposed changes to PIP will be delayed until after November 2026, and the release of a review by Sir Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, which will now also involve disabled people in its compilation.

Timms said the review is not intended to save money. Instead, the review aims to ensure the assessment is accurate and to establish an assessment that will be effective for the future.

Jon Sparkes, OBE, Chief Executive of Mencap, said: “The last-minute change relating to the review Sir Stephen Timms is leading sounds positive and we are pleased that the Government has listened.

“It is very important that this review is thorough and includes people with a learning disability. Fair and sustainable change to the welfare system will only happen if the people who rely on it are listened to. Disabled people should not have to pay to fix black holes in the public finances.”

Why is the welfare reform vote taking place?

The most significant cuts to disability benefits were unveiled in the “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working” Green Paper. The aim was to unlock economic growth by saving £5 billion by 2030.

The main elements of the welfare reforms include proposed changes to Universal Credit, PIP and Employment and Support Allowance.

MPs, though, were asked to vote on this bill before seeing:

• The Office for Budget Responsibility’s assessment of its employment impacts.
• The conclusions of the recently announced review into the PIP assessment.
• The completion of the Government’s independent ‘Keep Britain Working’ review of the role of employers and government in tackling health-related inactivity.

Mikey Erhardt, DR UK Policy Officer, said at the time of the first reading: “Despite promising a consultative process, the Government is trying to force through a vote on proposals it won’t even share detailed information about. With so many clear unknowns, we don’t think any MP could vote for these cuts with a clear conscience.

“Rather than delivering change, this government is attempting to implement cuts that are even more severe than those of the austerity years. Yet again, Disabled and working-class people who need support are being told you are the problem, you don’t deserve support.”

Alison Bloomer

Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today.

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