‘Grandfathering’ of Disability Benefit Cuts Leaves Future Claimants at Risk

Disability Labour has condemned the government’s recent welfare concessions, stating they fall far short of protecting Disabled people from harm.

While existing recipients of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC) will be exempted from some elements of the reforms, new claimants will still face:

• A raised PIP eligibility threshold that could disqualify hundreds of thousands
• Reductions to UC for those unable to work
• Unresolved proposals to alter the ‘severe conditions criteria’, which affect access to long-term support

The announcement may have softened concerns among some MPs, but it fails to address the core fears of Disabled people themselves.

“These changes entrench a two-tier system where future applicants—through no fault of their own—face greater hardship and are at real risk of being pushed into poverty,” said a Disability Labour spokesperson.  “This is not about fairness—it’s about exclusion.”

Disability Labour stands firmly against a two-tier system that divides Disabled people into those the state deems “deserving” of dignity and those it does not. We will continue to oppose all cuts to disability benefits, and we call for a just, inclusive welfare system that supports everyone who needs it.

We urge all MPs to oppose this bill and commit to a social security system co-produced with Disabled people—built on dignity, equality, and need.

Disability Labour
The National Committee of Disabled Members