The DWP has launched an entirely bogus consultation on changes to personal independence payment (PIP) and universal credit (UC) by refusing to consult on almost everything that matters most to claimants.

The Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper sets out proposed changes to PIP, including preventing anyone who does not score at least one 4 point or more descriptor from being eligible for the daily living component.

It also proposes to freeze the LCWRA (health) element of UC and abolish the WCA.

Non-consultation

Yet the list of things that the DWP is refusing to consult on, meaning there are no questions about them in the online consultation, includes:

  • Scrapping the WCA
  • Creating a single assessment for PIP and the UC health element
  • Freezing the health element of UC until 2029/30
  • Only awarding PIP daily living if you get at least one descriptor scoring 4 or more points
  • Restarting WCA reassessments until the WCA is scrapped

(You can find a full list of the issues the DWP will and won’t be consulting on at Annex A of the Green Paper).

Leading questions

Instead of asking for feedback on these vital issues, the consultation asks questions that make the assumption that participants accept that people should lose their PIP:

2. What support do you think we could provide for those who will lose their Personal Independence Payment entitlement as a result of a new additional requirement to score at least 4 points on one daily living activity?

3. How could we improve the experience of the health and care system for people who are claiming Personal Independence Payment who would lose entitlement?

Missing information

Vital information that would allow people to have an informed opinion even on questions like those above has been deliberately withheld from the Green Paper.

For example, the DWP knows precisely, or could make a very accurate estimate of, how many current claimants would lose their award on review if their condition remains unchanged and the new system is introduced.

It also knows what condition those claimants have: how many have physical conditions like arthritis, mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, neurodevelopmental issues like ASD or ADHD.

The DWP knows, but it’s not telling us.

Yet how can you properly answer questions like the ones above if you don’t know who is most likely to be affected?   

Benefits and Work has made a Freedom of Information request for these figures, but we suspect they will not be forthcoming.

The information may be included in the impact assessment due to be published on 26th March.

Otherwise, perhaps readers could ask their MPs or a friendly member of the House of Lords to ask for them?

Judicial review

In January of this year, the High Court found that a Conservative consultation on changes to the work capability assessment (WCA) was unlawful, meaning that the changes could not go ahead.

The judge held that the DWP had: failed to adequately explain the proposals; had failed to explain that the main purpose was to save money rather than to get claimants into work; had failed to provide sufficient time for the consultation.

At the time, many of us thought that this meant that the DWP under Labour would have to carry out an honest consultation on changes to PIP and UC.

Instead, the lesson that the DWP has learnt is not that it should be honest, but instead that it should just not consult on anything meaningful at all.

According to the House of Commons Library:

“In some cases, public bodies have a legal duty to carry out a consultation. There will be legal duty to consult where:

  • there is legislation which requires a consultation
  • a government department or public body has promised to consult
  • there is an established practice of consultation in similar cases
  • not consulting would lead to obvious unfairness (in exceptional cases)”

We would argue that there is a very definite ”established practice of consultation” in relation to major changes to disability and incapacity benefits and that the current exercise is an attempt to pass off a fake consultation as the real thing.

It was the Public Law Project which won the case against the DWP over the WCA consultation.  We very much hope that they will be able launch a similar judicial review over this Green Paper consultation.

Alternative consultation

In the meantime, we hope that a major charity or umbrella body with good standing amongst the public and MPs, such as the Disability Benefits Consortium, will launch an alternative consultation.

It doesn’t need to be long or complicated.  It just needs to ask the questions that the DWP is scared to ask, such as:

Do you agree that only people who score at least 4 points on one daily living activity should get an award of the PIP daily living component?

Do you agree that the WCA should be abolished and replaced with a single assessment for both PIP and the UC health element?

Whatever the results, they could be circulated to MPs and members of the House of Lords who wish to be properly informed before they vote on these issues.

However, time is very short.  The official consultation does not end until 30 June.  But because the DWP have chosen not to consult on major changes, such as the new PIP scoring system, they can introduce new legislation as soon as they wish.  They have stated that they intend to bring forward legislation in this session of parliament, which ends on 21 July, so it could be as early as May that we see the new provisions. 

This means that, even though the change to PIP scoring will not be put into effect until November 2026, the law enabling it could be firmly in place very much sooner.

Silencing voices

The Green paper consultation is so dishonest that we feel unable to recommend that people take part in the way we normally would, though we also know that the DWP may argue that lack of response means that most people do not object to the changes.

In the Green paper, the DWP claim that “We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do.”

In fact, this bogus consultation is entirely about silencing the voices of disabled people and people with health conditions.

The reality is that the DWP under Labour is proving to be even more dishonest and devious than it was under the Tories.

The Green Paper consultation is online here or you can read all the questions in the consultation here.

 You can try the proposed new PIP test here.

You can also:

keep up with what’s changing and when

find out what you can do if you are unhappy about Labour’s plans

follow the latest news about PIP and UC changes.

 

Comments

Write comments...
or post as a guest
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Everone need to email there local m p now to object to this they the ones who get to vote this down .then we learn are they standing up for disability  or following keir 

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Extremely worried about how/if I will manage in the future. Are the planned migrations of people on ESA (support group) to Universal Credit still going to go ahead with transitional protection or has that all fallen by the wayside? There is no way I would be well enough to work and I definitely won't be able to afford rent, food, utilities if my benefits are cut as much as I fear they may be. There is no cheaper 1 bed accommodation available - so where would I live? Getting more depressed by the minute.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jennifer I am wondering the same thing. Surely they won't stop this too 😭 absolutely made to feel a drain on society , stopping disability benefits won't force people into work who are unable to work but will fill up hospital beds with people sent over the edge or worse. Wondering if he has in place more mental health facilities to accommodate what's going to happen 🤔 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jennifer I feel the same way, see my post just above
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Interesting comments from Politico (in italics below).  I wonder if this could end up as Labour's equivalent of the fight to Rwanda scheme - passed in parliament, but repeatedly held up.

    "There is a storied history of British welfare reforms that have been given the hard sell by the government then coming unstuck in the days and months that follow, as MPs study the detail and face local voters. Many of the changes, too, will take time to bed in.

    “The devil is in the detail of these proposals, and I do fear what we will find as we turn over rocks over the next few days,” said Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling Tuesday night."
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 12 hours ago
      @slb It's up there with the Lib Dems betrayal on tuition fees, and they still haven't recovered. And this "Labour" government has been universally loathed pretty much since taking office.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    This is nothing more than a vote grabbing exercise. Labour are terrified of the rise of Reform.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 8 hours ago
      @DJMH15 Greens are the only ones who claim to be against Neo Liberal economics
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Anon I could never vote labour again, and obviounot Tory or reform.  Who is best of Lib Dem’s and greens?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    It's looking like unless your severely disabled or have a life long health condition you are going to be deemed fit for work. I'm on universal credit and LCWRA and scrapping the work capability assessment and incorporating it into PIP I feel is a big mistake. What you can do day to day in your home environment and what you are capable of doing in a work environment are two completely different things. You wouldn't drive a forklift in the living room but you could be expected to drive one at work, obviously I'm being sarcastic but you get my point. There trying to make limited capability for work something that just doesn't exist.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 17 hours ago
      @CJA Thing is,workplaces expect you to go at 1000 miles an hour,it's not possible for us,it's difficult for normal people and your manager is always on at you to do more and more,its all a mess this, very sick people are gunna br bullied into trying work 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I voted Labour hoping they would be fairer but it's the opposite. I will never vote for them again 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Delz Vote against Labour at every possible chance. Let your local Labour representatives, candidates and councillors (etc) know exactly why you are voting against them too!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Delz Yes Labour the new nasty party
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Alex I was a turkey 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @jeffcoo And me
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Delz I had been a lifelong Labour supporter but, as soon as I saw their manifesto made virtually zero mention of welfare plans, I decided to place my vote elsewhere as I guessed they would pull a stunt like this. I hate to say it but it actually feels like they are behaving worse than the Tories right now.  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Did you notice that the increase to UC, of £775, is not until 2029/2030, a time, when this shower of
    S**t will be out of office, has for contribution based ESA, I thought I saw it was being merged with 
    Jsa, might be wrong,has I haven't  read, the green paper.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Steve Absolutely, and also their promise of no reassessments for those deemed never fit enough to work will also disappear when they are out of office and the Tories or Reform get in and backtrack on it.  
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I am a carer for my non-dependent adult who works part time.  Due to her condition (ASD/ADHD and a learning difficulty) she struggles to sustain employment.  Aged 21.  Claims enhanced pip but not LCWRA.  I am her carer.  I have had to deal with ACAS Employment Tribunal Service three times since she has been in different employment (dismissal and withholding wages etc).  

    I also claim LCWRA due to my mobility issues.  I do not claim PIP) and I would not pass the new  envisaged PIP test points.  Therefore, considering the benefit reforms, it is highly possible my non-dependent adult would lose PIP based on the new points system, I would lose Carers Allowance and additionally, LCWRA.  Furthermore, what nobody has highlighted, people would no longer be exempt from the rent disregard if the non-dependent adult is in receipt of PIP when receiving Universal Credit.

    Happy days..NOT.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    i just got on LCWRA in December after a suicide attempt and severe mental health issues. i am now terrified i will lose all of my support and be forced into work. i am also 22 in june, so i could lose lcwra just for my age. i do want the additional support, and freedom to try to work without losing lcwra immediately. but to outright remove a safety net that saved my life, and many others, is terrifying. i am genuinely in pieces, haven’t slept all night, have had a panic attack, and my suicidal thoughts have increased since these statements came out. i am terribly scared
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @pickering It's 18 months away so you will be 23 if that helps
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @pickering I feel for you massively I have a son who is in the same state as you and has the same health conditions as you and he is ADHD. Being forced out of a safe place and v vulnerable is in humane. Nothing is going happen right now so take that a cold Comfort. Hang on in there kido and stay safe x
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @pickering I am right here with you. This is the worst my mental health has been in years and I honestly feel as though this government is telling me to work, live in poverty or off myself. All those options will have the same result.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @pickering What would be the additional premium for pip in monetary terms that Liz Kendall mentioned. For those with a severe disability and also are the plans to not reassess for those on ongoing payments up to ten years be implemented immediately? 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @pickering Sorry to hear about this. If you haven't already, try claiming PIP. Forget the negativity and seek out help with form filling. That's if you don't mind sending off MH letters from your dr's. It's a terrible intrusion but what can we do.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Here come the heart palpitations again. I had just managed to make improvements on my mental health as well, I don't want that torn from me. Why are they not just letting us live?
    I *TRIED* working at the easiest part-time job I could possibly survive on for 10+ years, and even that left me with severe mental health issues, a panic disorder and shedding hair from stress and constant heart palpitations. I went in to so many further damaging meetings at work due to failing to meet targets where I tried asking for help, but they just kept calling me in telling me where I was failing under the guise of "support". It gave me intense trauma towards work, as well as workplace harassment which occurred under a previous manager due to my limitations. I have only just managed to get away from that and get LCWRA and I really had to fight for it with the help of my family and it felt like a miracle. I have ADHD, ASD, anxiety, panic disorder, sleep disorders etc. and have been through so much therapy to try and help- but none of it worked, and it became very clear that this is something hardwired in me that I cannot change to fit in to work without devastating health and mental health effects on me leaving me suicidal.
    Please- just let all of us live. That's all we're asking. Treat us like human beings.
    (Posting again because my previous message was cut short somehow and I wanted to provide full context. I hope it posts in full this time.)
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @J
      It won't be taken away at the moment, so "bear that in mind" - this is some way off.
      One day at a time - things change.
      The system is in a mess and the proposals won't work.
      There is no one size fits all and that's the problem.
      Take heart J !
      You fought to get this far and tomorrow is another day.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @J Me too. My svt is going nuts. 
      I've had chest tightness and asthma attacks one after the other aswell, My consultant for the nafld said I'd to have no further stress too,as its adding to that condition ten fold. Hahahaha, some chance. 
      I too was trying to calm it down. But my anxiety panic attacks and digestive disorders are doing overtime. Bless you. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I get enhanced care and low mobility as well as being in the ESA support group. I get 2 points on all daily living  descriptors bar one which is engaging with other people where i get 8 points. So in theory i should be ok. But heres the thing. I was reviewed for PIP in 2022 with no reassesment and my award was upheld with the same points including the 8 points for engaging with other people. I am under review again now  and sent the review back in november which they have recieved. The cynic in me thinks its a possibilty now that when i get my outcome my 8 points will be reduced and even if i still qualify for enhanced care it will be spread across the descriptors with lower than 4 points so as when the new rules come in i no longer qualify. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jim I initially applied for PIP in 2017 and was awarded no mobility and standard care, I  ended up taking it to tribunal a year later and was awarded standard mobility and enhanced care and the panel awarded me 8 points on the engagement descriptor. When my PIP was reviewed in 2022 i filled in the review form and didnt have to have any reassesment in person or over the phone and about six months later i was awarded what i had initially( stand mobility enhanced care) as the decision maker agreed that nothing had changed and i also kept the same points including the 8 for engaging
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @solly gurman Did you have a face to face? It's highly unlikely they can reduce that from eight to under four? That would mean vast improvement. If so appeal appeal appeal. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Here come the heart palpitations again. I had just managed to make improvements on my mental health as well, I don't want that torn from me. Why are they not just letting us live? 
    I *TRIED* working at the easiest part-time job I could possibly survive on for 10+ years, and even that left me with severe mental health issues, a panic disorder and shedding hair from stress and constant heart palpitations. I went in to so many further damaging meetings at work due to failing to meet targets where I tried asking for help, but they just kept calling me in telling me where I was failing under the guise of "support". It gave me intense trauma towards work, as well as workplace harassment which occurred under a previous manager due to my limitations. 
    Please- just let all of us live. That's all we're asking. Treat us like human beings.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Both the speech and green paper leave many many questions unanswered?

    1
    Is no explanation as to time lines for any changes for folk currently on existing pip scheme of all groups including old people post pension age on LTA

    2

    New Point system requires one descriptor to score 4 or no qualify otherwise this applies to all on living allowance
    Many folk on current claims no doubt have scored 2/3 across many descriptors totalling anywhere between 8 and over 30 points even made up from 2/3 points in each
    Giving awards of minimum 8 for lower over 12 for higher awards some may be lucky and scored 4 in one or more
    (Worth noting 4 is a high bar)
    So in essence are they really saying anyone originally judged in the long horrific degrading assessment process they would have undertook in order to be awarded as lower or severe at the time of award no longer meet the requirements as viewed currently as severe or otherwise all of a sudden just because they scored very high but never achieved a 4 and are therefore no longer entitled as a result
    This policy if it gets through will affect most pip claimants new and existing on low or high living allowance resulting in 75 to 100 pound s reductions per payments per week to the bulk of claimants on pip with very very few I suspect spared of the cuts
    Gov said this shortfall will be met by support
    What support one may ask ?
    They are asking disabled claimants on line to participate in questions paper they set up
    In order to get ideas
    In no way in the speech or green paper did it mention this would be any kind of financial recompense for cuts taken as any replacement but indeed more like no real plan from the outset to plug any cuts taken

    3
    Gov said moral duty not so much money saving exercise etc etc
    Question..
    Tell me what’s moral about recognising someone is severe and entitled and judged to be so under current law only now by stroke of a miracle change this by moving the goal posts to then tell them they are now no longer entitled at all ?
    how on earth could one make such a blind conclusion and what’s moral about that in doing so ?

    We’re all their assessments that were undertaken prior then to this new such of thinking all wrong or bogus in the first place then as many folk sat in a face to face grilling I’ve no doubt also that many found all this degrading in order to appraised in the first place to this vital support they now want to strip away calling in the moral thing to do.
    I find nothing in the name of any moral argument given what I have said here in order from them to pretend this is the right thing to do I have no idea on what Labour MPs think as you here little opposition from most however a few have voiced up

    It’s a disgraceful carry on in my opinion and all Labour MPs should have the moral duty to stand up call this out to oppose and condemn this in order to stop this in its tracks at the earliest opportunity

    Apologies for reposting as last doesn’t appear as recent ?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    It seems that everytime, it’s disabled people that are the easy target.

    We need someone like Kate and William, who know what disability can mean, to highlight the needs of disabled and how they are effected by these constant threats.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Hello all stressed friends, does anybody know if you fail the 4 points on daily living component but score 12 on mobility part of pip, would you still get the mobility part or lose everything. So concerned as we all are with all this but at least mobility would be better than nothing. Please anyone know the answer to this. Love to all x
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Empty123 As I have read it you still get to keep the mobility part which is the smaller amount of money 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Empty123 Mobility it seems is unaffected 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Empty123 Sorry i can't answer - I'm also confused about this! I've been reading websites for over an hour that outline the changes to benefits, but I still haven't found a clear explanation of whether we need those 4 daily living points to get PIP. I also fail daily living but get 12 on mobility, am I safe or not? 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Empty123 Mobility element is not being affecting by these changes just the care element so you will still receive what you have been awarded for mobility with no changes. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Empty123 You will still get the mobility part as there is no current proposal to change this
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I apologise for all my posts so far but I am scared witless right now. Peace of mind means everything to me and even the slightest of deviations from what I consider normal absolutely terrified me. So sorry again I can't bear the thought of losing my UC/LCWRA award coz I won't be able to pay the rent or afford new batteries for my mobility scooter either. God help me please.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Neil Cook Legal challenges will be coming Im sure
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Neil Cook None of this will happen at the moment Neil - so nothing in your world has changed.
      No need to look too far into the future. When your mind paints pictures of doom, just acknowledge the vision and refocus. Keep doing this until it is habitual.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    There will be many people who would qualify for the 4 points needed in a certain category who have not argued because they got the full points anyway, to argue would risk a reassessment that can just as easily lose you points and in arguing the score to better the same you gain absolutely nothing. So those now who do argue past point will be labeled as swinging it.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Andywaringuk If they mentioned those things originally and have evidence that they did, I wouldn't worry about that. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Andywaringuk That's me. I have been very unwell for 40 years and getting older now is exacerbating things. I know I should have scored much higher on some pip descriptors but when I was awarded standard daily living I didn't want to rock the boat. Looks like I'm going to have to be more insistent next time I'm assessed.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    How will these changes affect pensioners on PIP who are likely to encounter further problems due to age?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    mean to add a few more points
    Join a union and put pressure on the unions if you are already a member
    Write to all the anti starmer labour mps
    seek to have the leadership challenged internally to throw starmer out and form a genuine labour government
    Purge the right inside the labour party
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    First lesson for Labour is to not vote for labour councillors who are pro starmer in the local elections and only vote for pro disability labour mps in any by elections!

Free PIP, ESA & UC Updates!

Delivered Fortnightly

Over 110,000 claimants and professionals subscribe to the UK's leading source of benefits news.

 
iContact
We use cookies

We use cookies on our website. Some of them are essential for the operation of the site, while others help us to improve this site and the user experience (tracking cookies). You can decide for yourself whether you want to allow cookies or not. Please note that if you reject them, you may not be able to use all the functionalities of the site.