Titled “Protect Disabled people who cannot work from planned cuts to benefits”, the petition called for the government to scrap its proposed plans for the disability benefit PIP and the health element to Universal Credit
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has responded to an online petition which called for the government to scrap its plans for disability benefit cuts.
The petition was launched by disability activist Abigail Broomfield this month and has received 16,700 signatures. Titled “Protect Disabled people who cannot work from planned cuts to benefits”, the petition called for the government to scrap its proposed plans for the disability benefit Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and the health element to Universal Credit.
The petition said: “We want support, not hardship and deprivation, for those who cannot work.”
Broomfield argued that disabled people who cannot work should not have their benefits cut adding: “Acquired Disabilities can end careers, and we feel that those who previously contributed to tax deserve support. We also believe that people born Disabled need steady support without cuts.”
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She noted that the pandemic had “widened the gap” between the current financial support and the extra cost of living for disabled people, and the cuts would “worsen this”. She concluded: “We think forcing people to work will strain the fragile NHS and that Disabled people should not be punished for being unable to work.”
As the petition reached the first goalpoast of 10,000 signatires, the DWP needed to respond to it. If it reaches 100,000 it will need to be debated in parliament.
In its response on parliament’s petition website, the DWP noted that the government was working to “urgently tackle the spiralling welfare bill, restore trust and fairness in the system, and protect disabled people. Social security reforms will therefore continue as planned.”
The full statement read: “Our welfare system is broken, costing almost a third as much as it does to run the NHS in England while leaving people for years on benefits with no offer of support, no hope of a future in work and no opportunity to improve their standard of living.
“Working-age adults who are in work are three times less likely to be in poverty than those out of work. We need to act to end the inequality that sees disabled people and people with health conditions trapped out of jobs, despite many wanting to work, and ensure our welfare system is there for people who need it, now and long into the future.
“As part of our Plan for Change we’re introducing the most far-reaching reforms in a generation, with £1 billion a year being invested to give people the best possible chance with tailored support that can be adapted to meet their changing circumstances – including their changing health.”
The DWP then listed the changes that had been put forward. This included its plan to tighten the eligibility criteria for PIP, removing the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) for Universal Credit, and its freeze and cut to the health element of Universal Credit from April 2026.
The DWP concluded: “We are consulting on a number of proposals in the Green Paper. We are keen to hear views from disabled people, as well as those who support them – further information on how to respond is available at Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper – GOV.UK”
Broomfield responded to the DWP telling the Daily Record that the benefits department had not addressed how they were going to protect disabled people who can’t work.
She said: “In fact they’ve doubled down on how by claiming that getting disabled people into work is going to protect disabled people.”
Broomfield added: “A Freedom of Information request revealed that nearly 90% of disabled people or 1.3 million people who only get standard rates or PIP are going to be losing money.”
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