Personal Independence Payment: Disabled People

In Yeovil, 7.9% of working-age adults claim PIP; the proposals may result in rising child poverty and under-investment in social care, which cannot be used to reduce the welfare bill meaningfully.

Mr Ramsay thanked the right hon. Member for highlighting the real human impact of these cuts and emphasised that asking the very wealthiest in society to pay more would be the moral thing to do.

Asked questions regarding the impact of proposed changes on constituents with estimates suggesting only 1% to 3% may gain employment, leaving many worse off.

Wales stands to lose £4.5 billion from restricting PIP eligibility, with Carmarthenshire alone facing a loss of over £17 million and nearly 4,000 people losing eligibility.

Asked the Minister about a case where someone with a neurodegenerative disease currently scores only two points and would be penalised under tightening restrictions.

Suggests that an equality impact assessment needs to be conducted now due to the anxiety caused by benefit suspensions, rather than cutting £5 billion in the future. Emphasised that PIP is a vital lifeline for those living with disabilities and cutting support strips away independence and dignity.

Ms Ribeiro-Addy asked if the right hon. Member shared concerns that 300,000 people will be pushed into relative poverty by 1 million disabled people using food banks last year due to cuts in PIP. The proposed cuts will push people further into poverty without evidence of increasing employment, making people sicker and more reliant on the NHS. A 2% tax on wealth above £10 million could raise £24 billion a year.

Ms Denyer thanked the right hon. Member and drew attention to figures from PCS Union about members working in DWP claiming benefits themselves, further underlining that cutting PIP will punish sick and disabled people.

Conservative-run Dudley council has made £42 million worth of cuts, including services for carers and mental health. The Green Paper's suggestion to support disabled people in retraining is patronising; they already have qualifications and careers.

He discusses the disproportionate impact of cost-of-living crisis on households with a disabled inhabitant, noting that 307,000 PIP recipients used food banks in the past year.

Young people battling cancer are forced to wait up to eight months for PIP, incurring additional costs of £5,000. He calls on the Minister to scrap arbitrary wait times and ensure medical diagnoses alone suffice for eligibility.

As a parent carer, he requests a detailed impact assessment on the carers community and asks for cross-Government departmental strategy proposals to support disabled people accessing work.

A strong social security system is essential but needs reforms to ensure sustainability, with health conditions becoming more widespread following the pandemic and a significant increase in PIP recipients.

The report published on Friday shows an average loss of £269 per working adult in northern areas; Oldham East and Saddleworth will lose £15 million a year, impacting the local economy significantly.

Barbara, a constituent with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, fears losing her PIP support which helps fund vital equipment and care. Her case exemplifies the terror of potential changes for disabled people in West Dorset.

A citizens' assembly in his constituency showed unanimous opposition to the cuts, with fears that they will drive 250,000 more people into poverty and deeper deprivation. The Labour party was formed to protect those most vulnerable.

He criticises the Government's proposals, stating that no MP was elected to make people poorer. He mentions having 10,467 residents dependent on PIP in his constituency. Asked Mr Kruger how much His Majesty’s Opposition propose to cut from the welfare bill, highlighting the need for precise plans.

Inquired about the immediate effect of changes to PIP eligibility.

Shared concerns of constituents affected by proposed changes to PIP, highlighting cases like Robert's son Richard with functional neurological disorder and James who relies on PIP for mental health support. Susan highlighted the risk of losing support leading to financial distress.

Compliments the right hon. Lady for securing this debate and highlights that PIP is a lifeline for maintaining people’s wellness and independence, suggesting that today's Minister must give many answers and change the policy. The proposed changes could result in some existing claimants no longer meeting the eligibility requirement, impacting them severely. Parkinson’s UK told him that degenerative conditions incur extra costs of more than £7,500 a year.

Discussed evidence showing that cutting benefits leads to increased reliance on NHS services, citing a £7.7 million cost for 2,500 people with MS who lost higher rate of DLA in 2013.

Supported the argument for reforming the benefits system with compassion and highlighted concerns about the impact of welfare reforms on employment.

Mr Hussain mentioned meeting furious constituents outraged by the cuts and joined the right hon. Member in condemning these cold-hearted and cruel cuts that leave people fearing they cannot heat their homes or eat.

Agrees with the right hon. Friend that it is the moral duty of this Government to protect the most vulnerable so they can lead a dignified and independent life.

The proposed cuts mean more poverty and hardship for disabled people; many feel suicidal if they lose PIP support. The benefits system has already been a factor in the deaths of disabled people.

People face immense challenges, pain, and costs due to PIP restrictions. She will vote against these cuts because they harm the dignity of disabled people.

The proposals are immoral as they will leave someone needing assistance with basic tasks without PIP support, affecting up to 1.3 million people according to recent figures. He vows to vote against the cuts.

Highlights that Leicester city council counts PIP as income and reduces council tax support for those applying for it, causing constituents to be £900 worse off.

Discussed the importance of PIP in supporting disabled individuals and their independence, highlighting the case study of a blind gentleman from Portsmouth and a young lady with mental health challenges. Also mentioned that 8,592 people in Torbay claim PIP.

The proposed cuts hit post-industrial areas particularly hard, with Wales already having the highest poverty rates among disabled people in the UK. The welfare system must support people when they need it most.

Expressed concern about the impact on people suffering from ME and long covid, pointing out that PIP does not accommodate their disability well, unlike the work capability assessment.

He agrees with the need for welfare reform but expresses concern about proposed tightening of PIP eligibility criteria, highlighting the case of a constituent who may lose support due to reforms.

Mr Juss mentioned a constituent with two sons suffering from cystic fibrosis who rely on high-cost diets, medication, and loss of income as a carer. He agreed that PIP should provide support for individuals like his constituent’s children.