Further Thoughts On The Government’s Green Paper And Consultation Regarding Changes To Disability Benefits. 

April 16th, 2025 by FB4J Admin

The above documents include proposed changes to:

Universal Credit (UC)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Accessible versions of the paper can be found on the links at the end of the pages. 

  • Large print version of the green paper – HERE
  • Easy read format – HERE
  • Audio – HERE
  • BSL – HERE
  • Welsh Language- HERE
  • Evidence Pack – HERE

What do these proposed changes mean for disabled individuals?

These proposals would change access to disability benefits for many disabled individuals from when they are next assessed, likely to begin after November 2026.

Modifications to the PIP eligibility criteria suggest that obtaining PIP will become significantly more challenging, which may also heighten the stress of the assessment process. 

The primary change concerns the daily living component of PIP, where a person needs at least four points in one descriptor and an additional four points in other areas as normal. to qualify for this component at the standard rate, as well as four points in one activity and eight more elsewhere. 

Eliminating the ESA/UC Work Capability Assessment implies that disabled individuals only need to undergo the PIP assessment for disability benefits. While having fewer assessments may be less stressful, this also means that disabled individuals must qualify for PIP to access the health element. The restricted eligibility for PIP will make it considerably more difficult to secure any disability benefits.  Another issue is that if someone fails to gain one benefit, they will potentially lose both even when appealing.

Disabled young people aged 18 to 21 will be among those most affected. Many young disabled individuals in this age group who do not receive PIP may not qualify for any health-related benefits. Most young disabled people on Universal Credit between 18 and 21 must also seek employment until they turn 22.

There is still much detail about these changes that we don’t yet know which proposals will be adopted and whether the bill will be passed in its current format. The Government has not yet published an impact assessment of the proposals, which is to follow and will provide us with more information on how disabled people may be affected.

When are these changes happening?

It is essential to understand that none of these changes will occur immediately.

The Government proposes to implement some of these changes in 2026 and 2027. We cannot be certain at this stage, but we anticipate that most changes will not occur until at least the end of 2026.

It is important to remember that this Green Paper is just the first step toward changing disability benefits. The consultation will continue until June 30, 2025. Afterwards, the Government will analyse the results. Their plans may change based on your feedback and that of organisations campaigning for changes and because of adverse public opinion. This is just the early stage of the process, but the Government’s intentions have been set out fully in the paper, and have shocked many organisations and caused worry amongst the disabled community. 

Changes to PIP and the WCA, which the Government is not consulting, will require legislation to become law. This means MP’s must debate the proposals in Parliament, which may result in changes.  It is vital that you notify your MP of how these proposals will affect you and what you would do if your PIP were no longer available to you. How would it affect your ability to work, etc, if applicable?

How can I get involved?

Cuts to disability benefits are not inevitable. Your voice matters, and it can make a difference. We have been saying this since the paper was released. 

Collectively, we can make a difference. 

You can do the following: 

NEW: In-person consultation events (across Great Britain):

NEW: Virtual events (across the UK) 

To share your views on specific parts of the consultation, the Government are running six virtual events on the following chapters: 

At this moment in time, we do not know much until the Government announces this, but we will, of course, be sharing with you all the news we hear and how we can help.