Cuts to PIP will plunge families further into poverty, research says

The National

4 hours ago

The UK Labour Government proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) earlier this year which will mean only those who score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity will be eligible for the benefit.
It is estimated up to 1.3 million people across England and Wales could lose at least some support under the changes.
In Scotland, PIP is devolved, but Finance Secretary Shona Robison has warned people will also be affected because the money comes from block grant funding, meaning a cut in UK spending on the benefit will reduce Holyrood's Budget for it.
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New research carried out by Professor Morag Treanor of Glasgow University on behalf of several charities has recommended that the UK Government must not implement any changes to Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments if they were to result in vulnerable and disadvantaged families being pushed into even deeper poverty.
Aberlour chief executive SallyAnn Kelly said the research has shown that is "exactly what could happen".
"We are clear that reforms should always protect the most vulnerable and should be implemented in a manner that does not push more people into further and more entrenched poverty," she said.
"This research suggests that this is exactly what could happen. We are urging the Government to think again and prevent this very harmful outcome by making changes that safeguard the most vulnerable families.
"Our research and work into public debt has outlined the struggles facing families and how the cost of living crisis is leading to millions of people lacking the means to pay for their basic needs and seeing them spiralling into debt, often to public bodies, as a consequence.
"If these reforms are introduced in their current shape this research strongly suggests that many of our most disadvantaged families will be pushed even deeper into debt."
The report considered the levels of debt owed to public bodies, including the levels of debt experienced by disabled people and lone parent families.
It found 53% of people with a disability had public debt or arrears, while 58% of lone parents with one or more disabled children did. A total of 55% of children with a disability are in a lone parent family.
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Those lone parent families with a disability are most likely to depend on food banks and are at a high risk of having fuel and energy debts/arrears, the report said.
While 8% of lone parent families made at least one food bank request from 2022 to 2025, that rose to 17% for a lone parent with one or more disabled child and 18% for couples with one or more disabled child.
The report said there is evidence that disability benefits provide a level of support and a protective blanket to disabled couple parents or lone parent families who might otherwise fall deeper and further into debt.
Experts say this strongly indicates that disabled benefits are helping mitigate, to some extent, financial hardship and help prevent disabled families from plunging even further into debt.
Cara Hilton, senior policy manager for Scotland at Trussell, said: "The UK Government's plans to slash support for disabled people who most need our collective protection from hunger is cruel and irresponsible.
"This research clearly shows that the right support can help prevent disabled families from falling into hardship. Cutting it is ill-considered and will leave more disabled people at risk of needing a food bank.
'One of the key findings of this research is that people in disabled households are twice as likely to be referred to a food bank than people in households without a disability. If the government chooses to go ahead with cuts, these figures will only get worse."
Satwat Rehman, chief executive of One Parent Families Scotland, added: "Many single parents, the majority of whom are mothers, are raising children alone and often without respite.
"When disability is also part of the equation, whether a child's or their own, the pressures multiply. This report clearly shows that these families are at significantly higher risk of accruing public debts, including council tax, benefits overpayments and energy arrears.
'With the UK Government poised to introduce cuts to disability benefits, this report is a timely reminder that welfare reform must work to support, not penalise, families."