Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure from a cross-party committee of MPs to delay planned cuts to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit, amid warnings that the changes risk pushing vulnerable individuals deeper into poverty. The letter, seen by ITV News, urges the government to reconsider eligibility changes that could affect disabled people’s financial support.
The call reflects growing concern over the social impact of welfare reforms as the government seeks to tighten benefits spending. MPs and disability advocates warn that the proposed cuts may not achieve their intended goal of incentivising work but instead exacerbate hardship and health inequalities, particularly in deprived areas.
MPs Warn Cuts Could Deepen Poverty and Harm Health
A committee chaired by Labour MP Debbie Abrahams has written to Sir Keir Starmer requesting a pause to amendments on PIP’s daily living component eligibility criteria.
According to the letter, the changes “might not incentivise work as the Government hopes, but rather push people deeper into poverty, worsen health, especially in more deprived areas, and move people further away from the labour market.”
The MPs call for a more inclusive process that involves disabled people and their organisations to co-produce new proposals as part of the ongoing PIP review. They emphasise the need to ensure that those reliant on PIP will not lose vital support. The letter demands a comprehensive consultation before any policy changes are implemented.
This intervention comes amid broader debates on welfare reform and poverty alleviation. The MPs argue that short-term cost-cutting measures risk undermining long-term social and economic goals by failing to address structural barriers faced by disabled and vulnerable citizens.
Northern Ireland Minister Highlights Broader Welfare Concerns
Alongside the PIP and Universal Credit discussions, Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has called for the full reinstatement of the universal winter fuel payment, which was recently restricted. According to Lyons, the payment, worth up to £300, is crucial to protecting pensioners during colder months.
Lyons praised the Labour government’s recognition of the earlier policy mistake but stressed that “this mistake can only be fully rectified by the reinstatement of a universal winter fuel payment that protects all pensioners.” He argued that reducing welfare expenditure should focus on supporting people into work rather than targeting older generations.
The minister also urged the government to clarify its plans to address the concerns raised by senior citizens since the changes were announced last July. Lyons emphasised that welfare reforms must safeguard the most vulnerable, providing adequate financial and structural support to those capable of employment.
