New call to scrap DWP benefit reforms and create a National Disability Strategy
Nearly 8,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to 'abandon' proposed welfare reforms to health and disability benefits, outlined in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper.
Petition creator Rick Burgess, is calling for the UK Government to scrap the plans due to start from next November and instead work with disability charities and organisations across the country to create a 'National Disability Strategy'.
The campaigner argues that the plans will see 'devastating cuts to disability benefits ' and puts forward proposals to 'protect the income of disabled people from further shocks'.
The 'Abandon DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper and create National Disability Strategy' petition has been posted on the official UK Government's Petitions-Parliament website.
It states: 'The DWP Green Paper Pathways to Work proposes what we think are devastating cuts to disability benefits. We think the Government must drop these proposals and instead begin a process of co-production with disabled peoples representative organisations to create a whole government disability strategy.'
The proposals include:
Abandon the DWP Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper.
Establish and resource a disability strategy co-production infrastructure working with Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations (Organisations run by and for disabled people) to create a National Disability Strategy to inform Labour market, Employment rights and Social Security reform that provides an adequate standard of living in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Protect the income of disabled people from further shocks.
At 10,000 signatures, the petition would be entitled to a written response from the UK Government, at 100,000, it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament. You can view it in full here.
Last month, the DWP rejected proposals in another online petition calling for the welfare reforms to be scrapped.
More than 24,100 people have signed in support of the petition, posted by disability activist Abigail Broomfield who argues that instead of reducing benefits, the DWP should be providing 'support, not hardship and deprivation, for those who cannot work.'
However, the DWP response on April 29 highlighted how the 'UK Government must urgently tackle the spiralling welfare bill, restore trust and fairness in the system, and protect disabled people. Social security reforms will therefore continue as planned.'
The welfare reform proposals centre on changes to both the eligibility criteria for and the reduced payment rates of benefits and include plans to abolish the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), meaning the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment would determine eligibility for PIP and the health element of Universal Credit.
Responding to the 'Protect disabled people who cannot work from planned cuts to benefits' petition - also posted on the official UK Government petitions website, DWP said: 'Our welfare system is broken, costing almost a third as much as it does to run the NHS in England while leaving people for years on benefits with no offer of support, no hope of a future in work and no opportunity to improve their standard of living.
'Working-age adults who are in work are three times less likely to be in poverty than those out of work. We need to act to end the inequality that sees disabled people and people with health conditions trapped out of jobs, despite many wanting to work, and ensure our welfare system is there for people who need it, now and long into the future.
'As part of our Plan for Change we're introducing the most far-reaching reforms in a generation, with £1 billion a year being invested to give people the best possible chance with tailored support that can be adapted to meet their changing circumstances - including their changing health.'
DWP went on to list the changes being made to the system to 'support sick and disabled people - many of whom want to work - into jobs, while protecting those with the most severe conditions who can never work'.
Commenting on the DWP's response, Ms Broomfield told the Daily Record: 'They've not addressed how they're going to protect disabled people who can't work and have just repeated points from the Green Paper.
'In fact they've doubled down on how by claiming that getting disabled people into work is going to protect disabled people.'
The disability campaigner added: 'A Freedom of Information request revealed that nearly 90 per cent of disabled people or 1.3 million people who only get standard rates or PIP are going to be losing money.'
Ms Broomfield will continue her campaign to get the petition to 100,000 signatures of support where it would be considered by the Petitions Committee for debate in Parliament.
You can read the full petition and DWP response on the Petitions Parliament website here.
Online consultation
The 12-week consultation on reforms to health and disability support officially launched on April 7 on GOV.UK with publication of all accessible versions of the Pathways to Work Green Paper. The consultation is open until June 30, 2025.
The proposed reforms aim to support people into work, protect people who can never work and put the welfare system on a sustainable footing so that it can continue to support those in need now and into the future.
DWP said: 'One in three of us faces a long-term health condition, so we all need a system that can support us to stay in work or get back into work.'
The measures are the latest step in the UK Government's drive to build a modern welfare system that helps people get jobs rather than creating unnecessary barriers, with ministers' proposed plans set to:
Provide more tailored employment support for those who can work, breaking down barriers to opportunity
Simplify the system and reduce unnecessary assessments, cutting bureaucracy and making it easier to navigate
Improve the way financial support is assessed and delivered, ensuring it reaches those who need it most and that people using the system have a better experience and are treated with dignity and respect
Build a more flexible approach that recognises the diverse needs of disabled people and those with long-term health conditions
DWP said that without changes, it is forecast that the system could cost as much as £70 billion a year by the end of the decade and risk not being there for people when they need it in future.
Issues open for consultation include:
Supporting people to thrive with the new support offer
Supporting employers and making work more accessible
Reforming the structure of the health and disability benefits system
DWP said: "These are part of the wider reforms that also include reintroducing reassessments for people on incapacity benefits who have the capability to work to ensure they have the right support and aren't indefinitely written off, targeting Personal Independence Payments for those with higher needs, and rebalancing payment levels in Universal Credit."
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