1.5 million UK citizens could be out of the disability benefit net soon, new bill proposes drastic changes in eligibility criteria
File photo: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Synopsis The Labour government's new welfare bill proposes significant changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), potentially impacting around 1.5 million Britons. Under the new guidelines, the 'daily living' element of the benefit effectively will get harder to claim after the eligibility criteria are tightened. All applicants will receive points according to their ability limitations for each activity. Around 3.7 million Britons are currently availing the benefits of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which helps them with some extra money to take care of the cost incurred by living with an illness or disability. But that number is set to drastically come down as nearly 1.5 million people will soon lose the right to claim PIP benefits.
ADVERTISEMENT The Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has introduced a new welfare bill revealing the full extent of the plans and roadmap to cut welfare for millions of disabled benefit claimants. This comes as the ruling party faces a crucial vote next month.
An analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility and verified by The Independent, the latest bill is likely to take away the eligibility of around 1.5 million people who currently claim the benefit of PIP. The watchdog further states that the 'behavioural response' can possibly reduce this to around 800,000 people.
It, however, acknowledged that this is a 'highly uncertain judgement'.The 'Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill' precisely explains what will happen to PIP claimants if they end up losing their entitlement under the new rules.Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) secretary Liz Kendall had in March 2025 announced the proposed changes.
ADVERTISEMENT Under the new guidelines, the 'daily living' element of the benefit effectively will get harder to claim after the eligibility criteria are tightened.Similar to what has been happening till now, assessors will ascertain if an applicant has limited ability to conduct day-to-day activities. The assessment will be based on how the applicants carry out a range of activities. They will be awarded points based on how limited their ability is.
ADVERTISEMENT All applicants will receive points according to their ability limitations for each activity. They will require eight overall to secure this element of the benefit at the basic rate and 12 for the higher.Things, however, will be different from November 2026, as the applicants will need to score at least four points in a single daily living activity to be allowed to avail this element of the benefit. The eight required points can no longer be spread across activities.
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The changes planned by the Labour government have received strong backlash from charities and campaign groups. According to The Independent, over 100 Labour MPs are likely considering voting against the government on the plans.
ADVERTISEMENT If someone availing themselves of the benefits of PIP loses entitlement, they will not witness any reduction in it without attending a reassessment which takes place every three years on average.After being invited for reassessment, for which attendance is mandatory, applicants will be assessed as before. However, the new points-scoring system will now apply.If things go south and someone ends up losing their entitlement due to legislation changes, it will not stop being paid at that rate immediately. Payments will continue at that level for 13 weeks as a 'transitional cover', according to the government press release. This will not be paid if the recipient moves abroad or is reassessed and becomes entitled again.
'The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will provide 13 weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including those who lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer's element of Universal Credit,' the release read. After these 13 weeks, payments for the daily living part of the benefit will stop.
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