What you need to know about the new bill to change disability benefits.

What is the government proposing?

On Wednesday 18 June, the government introduced a bill in Parliament. This is to make changes to Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) from next year. A bill is a draft piece of legislation. This is the first step towards changing the law around how disability benefits work.

This bill sets out changes to PIP and the health element of Universal Credit. It also includes changes to Income-based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). Some of these changes were announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper. Though, the government did not consult on them. You can read about the Green Paper and what changes the government are consulting on in our recent blog.

Why is the government proposing these changes?

The government say they want to make these changes to get more disabled people into work. And to reduce how much money the government spends on disability benefits in the future. Scope opposes this bill. We are concerned that the changes will have a huge negative impact on disabled people. And they won’t help disabled people into work, either. What does Scope think about the bill?

We are extremely concerned about what these changes will mean for disabled people. They pose a real threat to disabled people’s living standards and independence. They will not support more disabled people into work. We are also disappointed that the government did not consult disabled people.

We want to see the benefits system reformed for the better. But we won’t accept that making big cuts like these is the answer.

MPs will vote on these plans in Parliament on 1 July 2025. So this is a vital moment to influence them.

We encourage you to contact your MP about the Welfare Reform Bill to let them know what you think. And why they should vote against the Bill on 1 July.

You can do so by visiting TheyWorkForYou. Simply add your postcode and it will give you details about how to contact your MP.

How your campaigning pressure is making a difference

The proposals in the bill may change as it makes its way through Parliament.

More than 100 Labour MPs have signed an amendment that would give them an opportunity to vote on a proposal to reject the Welfare Reform Bill in its entirety.

We are following the progress of the bill closely and will update this page with the latest information when we get it.

Here is everything you need to know about what is in the bill and how disability benefits might change. You can also find out what the next steps are for the legislation and how you can get involved.

What is Personal Independence Payment (PIP)?

PIP is a benefit to help with the extra costs disabled people face, whether they’re in work or not. It is not means tested. This means it doesn’t matter how much money you have or if you’re working. People who apply for PIP go through an assessment. You can find out if you qualify for PIP on our website.

What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit is a means tested benefit to help with living costs. It is for people on low incomes, who are out of work or who cannot work. How much Universal Credit you get depends on a few factors such as your income.

Disabled people who are unable to work get an extra amount of Universal Credit. This is called the ‘health element’.

You can find out more about how Universal Credit works and what you may be eligible for on our website.

What is Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)?

ESA is a means tested benefit for people who cannot work because of disability. There are two types of ESA. Income based ESA is a legacy benefit that people are no longer able to apply for. The only one that people can apply for is called New Style ESA.

How much ESA someone gets depends on factors like age. Disabled people on New Style ESA can get the health element if they are unable to work. Disabled people on Income based ESA can get a disability premium instead of a health element.

You can find out more about ESA on our website.

What is in the UC and PIP bill?

This bill sets out several important changes to disability benefits. These include:

Increasing the rate of the Universal Credit standard allowance.

This will go up more than inflation every year until 2029 / 2030. This means that single claimants who are aged 25 or over will receive £725 a year more by 2029 / 2030.

Making it harder for disabled people to qualify for the Daily Living part of PIP. 

At the moment, people who apply for PIP get points in their assessment based on how their condition affects them. These points come from a list of everyday tasks, called activities. These include things like preparing food or managing money. You need to score at least 8 points across these activities to get the Daily Living part of PIP.

Under the proposed changes, people would still need to score 8 points in total. But at least 4 of those points would need to come from one single activity.

If you already get PIP, your current award will stay the same until your next assessment. After that, you will be assessed using the new rules. If you do not meet the new criteria, you could lose the Daily Living part of PIP 13 weeks later.

Stopping carers' benefits for unpaid carers who look after for someone who loses PIP.

This includes Carer's Allowance and the carer's element of Universal Credit. Their payments will stop after 13 weeks. Freezing the health element of Universal Credit. 

Disabled people who are unable to work get an extra amount of Universal Credit. This is called the ‘health element’.

This means that it will not go up with inflation. For existing claimants it is currently worth around £423 a month. But for new claimants from April 2026, the health element will be worth around £217. This is roughly half of what it is worth now. This will also not go up with inflation.

Some new claimants with lifelong conditions could get a higher health element. These will be known as Severe Conditons Criteria claimants. To be eligible, claimants must have a lifelong condition that will not improve. And they must have an NHS diagnosis of their condition. Severe Conditions Criteria claimants will also not be reassessed unless their circumstances change. For these claimants, the health element will be worth around £423.

Freezing the rates of income related ESA.

ESA is a means tested benefit for people who cannot work because of disability. This includes disability premiums, the support component and the work-related activity component. This means that these will not go up with inflation. But New Style ESA will stay the same.

What do these changes mean for disabled people?

These changes will have a big impact on how much disability benefits are worth and will make it harder to qualify for support.

Changes to PIP eligibility will make it much harder to get PIP. If someone does not qualify for the daily living part of PIP under the new rules, their daily living payments will stop after 13 weeks. Carers who support them could also lose their benefits.

Cutting the health element means that new claimants will get much less support. Some claimants may be protected from the cut by the Severe Conditions criteria. But the strict eligibility criteria may make this very hard to get.

Freezing the health element will mean that it is worth less over time as prices rise. Income-based ESA payments will also be frozen, so they won’t keep up with rising costs.

What happens next to the bill?

The bill will go through several different stages before it becomes law. This means that what is in the bill may change. The first stage is called the first reading. This is when MPs hear what the bill is about for the first time. After this, MPs will have time to review it. They then decide whether to vote for or against it.

On 1 July, the bill will have its second reading in Parliament. This is MPs’ first chance to vote on the bill. MPs can also table amendments as the Bill progresses. Currently, a group of Labour MP’s have tabled a Reasoned Amendment which, if it was supported, it would stop the bill’s progression.

If a majority of MP’s vote in favour of the bill, it will progress to committee stage. This is when a small group of MPs look at the bill in detail. They discuss it closely and can suggest changes before it goes back to the whole Parliament for more debate. You can find out more about the steps a bill goes through on the Parliament website.

What is Scope doing to challenge the bill?

Our Cost of Cuts campaign calls on the Government to protect disability benefits. And ensure they continue to provide vital support. Disabled people already face higher costs for essentials like energy bills. Cutting benefits would push more people into poverty. They would put further strain on services like the NHS and social care.

As the bill progresses, Scope will be working to ensure MP’s recognise the damaging impact these changes would have on disabled people. Scope is calling on MPs to vote against this bill at it’s second reading or support Reasoned Amendments to prevent it’s progression.

We will also be responding to the consultation. We will call for the Government to work with disabled people to create better reforms to disability benefits.

How can I get involved?

Cuts to disability benefits are not inevitable. Your voice is important, and you can help us make a difference. Take action to save our lifeline.

MPs now have a chance to stop the cuts by voting against the bill. You can help us geta clear message across to your MP: stop these cuts.

You can do so by visiting TheyWorkForYou. Simply add your postcode and it will give you details about how to contact your MP.

Scope is here to help

We understand that these proposed changes will be worrying to many disabled people and their families.

Scope can provide practical information and support. You may find it helpful to visit:

Our information and advice pages

Our benefits webpage 

You can also share your thoughts and talk to people in similar situations to you on our online community.

If these changes are affecting your mental health, we encourage you to speak to your GP or reach out to support services like Mind or the Samaritans. Our website also offers practical advice on managing your mental health. Visit our mental health support page for guidance