*The Welfare Benefit changes*

Orly. Not everyone who received NI credits are the unemployed. I did for the period of time I did not work but was bringing up my children. Those receiving sickness benefits will also be given credits and thse are funded through Government so are classed as a benefit

I recognise the controversy orly however ...

"However, use of the word “benefit” for retirement pension (latterly known as State Pension) has always been classified in law from the time of the1946 National Insurance Act, which applied from the inception of the National Insurance scheme."

Most of us including myself feel it should be treated and named entirely differently for out protection

However it should reassure somewhat that this "Welfare Benefits Changes" doesnt include pensions and in practice they are dealt with separately.

I agree with all your points yellowfox. What worries me is that Rachel Reeves restated her assertion that pensions are benefits. Most people I know earned their occupational and state pensions through working but we all know people whose pensions are funded through state benefits in place of work it worries me that the Chancellor is lining pensioners up for another tax grabs whether they earned their pensions or not

The sooner they sort out the maalingerers the better. The welfare state has for too long been supporting some people who do not want to work.They know how to manipulate the system
People who genuinely need help should still be entitled to tjeir benefits.
Lets hopwe the government get it right but I don't have a lot of faith.

Cabbie21

Surely nothing will change until a reviews due?

Looks like it, just found

"It will apply to new claims and for existing people who claim, future eligibility will be decided at their next award review. This change means that people could lose entitlement to the daily living element of PIP and potentially other entitlements linked to this award"

The sensible thing to do is to put the new infrastructure into place, and choose one area to concentrate on initially, maybe the young people leaving school or college this year could be the first group, so they don’t fall into the not working trap?

A review is due- sorry

Surely nothing will change until a reviews due?

The two point - four point is going to throw many into worry, as the problem is everyone is different and use money for different needs like employing help. Those on it already don't know how it will be applied - ie will people given it be allowed to finish the length of their current awards.

Thank you Wyllow3 for your useful information plus links.

There has been so much speculation and we have seen people greatly upset at the fear of losing their PIP- people who obviously should not need to worry.( I know not all disabilities are visible.)
One thing that I have rarely heard is how much it actually costs disabled people to manage. Paying for care and transport are two obvious huge costs. But there are PIP claimants who rely on PIP on top of UC or ESA just to cope with the cost of living, not the costs of disability. I suspect there are people who will lose PIP by not scoring 4 points on any of the descriptors whose needs cannot be met by having more money, so perhaps that tightening of the eligibility criteria will make sense.

An easy explain on PIP.

The key factors are that the lower level of daily support benefit, which is the one where claims have rapidly reached very high levels of claim, have tightened conditions so that you have to score higher points of need on one of the factors (a significantly higher level of need) from 2 points to 4 points.

and it explicitly states that those on with very high levels of need will not have to keep reapplying or being assessed.

"What is Pip and how are the rules changing?
Pip is paid to more than 3.6 million people who have a long-term physical or mental health condition.
There are two elements - a daily living component and a mobility component. Claimants may be eligible for one or both.
Under the government's proposals, assessments for the daily living part will be tightened, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
Pip assessments involve questions about tasks like preparing and eating food, washing and getting dressed. Each is scored on a scale from zero - for no difficulty - to 12 - for the most severe - by a health professional.
From November 2026, the government says people will need to score at least four on one item, instead of qualifying for support with a score that could describe less severe difficulties (ones and twos) across a broad range of activities.
For example, needing help to wash your hair, or your body below the waist, would be awarded two points, but needing help to wash between the shoulders and waist would equate to four points.
The payments for daily living are:
A standard rate of £72.65 per week
An enhanced rate of £108.55 per week
Payments for the mobility element, which are not affected, are:
A standard rate of £28.70 per week
An enhanced rate of £75.75 per week
Pip is usually paid every four weeks and is tax-free. It does not change depending on your savings or income and does not count as income affecting other benefits, or the benefit cap, external. You can get Pip if you are working.
At present, the payment is made for a fixed period of time between one and 10 years, after which it is reviewed. A reassessment could come earlier if your circumstances change, external.
The government plans more frequent reassessments for many people claiming Pip. However, those with the highest levels of a permanent condition or disability will no longer face reassessment.
Pip is paid in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
There is a similar but separate benefit in Scotland called the Adult Disability Payment.

Lizzies

Does this mean that my friend whose daughter is severely disabled through a genetic disorder with a mental age of about 1year old will no longer have to fill out pages of forms on a regular basis to keep her benefits?

Having looked very closely at the PIP plans, if your friends daughter is on the higher rate of PIP for daily life and mobility too it seems very likely she will be in the protected group.

New measures to take effect autumn 2026.

Paragraph 222 is the full details of work support options, quite impressive.

Quick flick through points 244 and 245 answer your question "what happens if people dont engage"

Barleyfields

As it’s only a Green Paper we don’t know what the changes will be after the consultation, how much the proposals will be watered down, nor when any changes will come into effect. Having known (and successfully reported) a benefits fraudster I would like to see more energy directed towards weeding them out in addition to serious cutbacks. How do you help someone into work who doesn’t want to work? Will benefits be withdrawn?

I think the Green Paper is a "Very likely" scenario so if there are things you feel should be included now is the time to get in touch with your relevant Disability Group, or your MP.

The first paragraph says it closes 30th June to respond..

This is the download, I haven't had a chance to read it yet to see whats covered in terms of the stick part of the carrot and stick, it may be covered already

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper

Lizzies

Does this mean that my friend whose daughter is severely disabled through a genetic disorder with a mental age of about 1year old will no longer have to fill out pages of forms on a regular basis to keep her benefits?

I’m hoping so!

As it’s only a Green Paper we don’t know what the changes will be after the consultation, how much the proposals will be watered down, nor when any changes will come into effect. Having known (and successfully reported) a benefits fraudster I would like to see more energy directed towards weeding them out in addition to serious cutbacks. How do you help someone into work who doesn’t want to work? Will benefits be withdrawn?

nothing finally set in stone

this is the Green Paper

and it clearly says

"We want to improve and refine our plans by consulting on certain measures as described within this paper. We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do."

www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper

Some questions asked above may be in here?

I hope so Lizzies.

I saw a severely disabled person on the TV today who was clearly anxious but I shouted at the TV- 'it doesn't mean people like you!' and thought, here we go with the media cooking up a storm...

People need support to get into work and to stay in work- if this is where the money will go then I think it will transform people's lives. I really hope so.

I know a few people who are still sitting at home all day making no effort to find work, yet claiming every benefit going and it makes me angry...

Would a lot of the people who are working get the mobility element, which won’t be affected? I don’t know much, but would have thought the daily living element applied more to those not working?

Cossy

Dee1012

Perhaps I've missed it but I've yet to see any data about the percentage of people in work who claim PIP ?

I know a number of people in that situation and the money they get is a huge help in actually helping them maintain employment!

I’ve looked and simply cannot find stats relating to this.

I had a look too and couldn't see anything...we keep hearing about people claiming but the whole spectrum is being missed!

Does this mean that my friend whose daughter is severely disabled through a genetic disorder with a mental age of about 1year old will no longer have to fill out pages of forms on a regular basis to keep her benefits?

Dee1012

Perhaps I've missed it but I've yet to see any data about the percentage of people in work who claim PIP ?

I know a number of people in that situation and the money they get is a huge help in actually helping them maintain employment!

I’ve looked and simply cannot find stats relating to this.

Perhaps I've missed it but I've yet to see any data about the percentage of people in work who claim PIP ?

I know a number of people in that situation and the money they get is a huge help in actually helping them maintain employment!

No, it doesn't say what will happen to people who have long term PIP awards but not 4 points on any section as opposed to new claims.