Latest news with #DisabilityBenefits
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labour Poole MP has whip withdrawn over 'indiscipline'
NEIL Duncan-Jordan has reportedly been suspended from the Labour Party following his criticism welfare bill and cuts to the winter fuel allowance. The Poole MP has had the whip removed after he voted against the Welfare Bill in Parliament earlier this month, describing the bill as a "dog's breakfast that isn't really worth the paper it's written on'. He said: 'Since being elected I have consistently spoken up for my constituents on a range of issues, including most recently on cuts to disability benefits. 'I understood this could come at a cost, but I couldn't support making disabled people poorer. 'Although I've been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party today, I've been part of the Labour and trade union movement for 40 years and remain as committed as ever to its values. 'To my constituents: it's business as usual. I remain your hardworking local MP, I will continue to take up your concerns and speak up for Poole.' After voting against the bill, he told the Echo in an interview earlier this week that the bill was "handled badly" and he would always vote for 'what was best' for his constituents. Mr Duncan-Jordan was one of 49 Labour MPs who rebelled against the government. Two other Labour MPs are reported to have been suspended today. He also acknowledged he had "fallen out of favour" with the party after voting against winter allowance fuel cuts. Duncan-Jordan won the Poole seat in last year's general election by only 18 votes, ousting Conservative Sir Robert Syms who had held the seat since 1997. Having the whip removed means that the MP is effectively expelled from their party - but keeps their seat - and must sit as an independent until the whip is restored.
The Sun
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Benefits bill passes – all the Universal Credit and PIP changes YOU need to know
DISABLED Brits would have faced stricter tests to qualify for support under the original benefits crackdown. They would have needed to score at least four points in one activity like washing, dressing, or preparing food. 2 2 Currently, people can qualify by scoring eight points across multiple tasks, making it easier to access the benefit. Last week, ministers watered down the policy to apply only to new claimants after more than 120 Labour MPs threatened to revolt. But after more fury from the backbenches, the changes were shelved altogether with no date for when - or if - they'll happen. Disability benefits Any proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments now won't kick in until after a review has taken place. The PIP benefits - the main disability welfare payment for those with a disability - is subject to a review by Welfare Minister Sir Stephen Timms. The benefit payments are in place to help those affected with daily tasks such as mobility. Payments currently start at £1,500 but rise to £9,600 which are paid out even if someone is still working. The daily living rate comes in at £73.90 for the lower rate and £110.40 for the higher rate. Figures show that the mobility rate is worth £29.20 and rises to £77.05 for the higher rate. Ministers have revealed that 1,000 people per day are claiming PIP - which is the equivalent of the size of Leicester every year. Following a major rebellion, those who are now claiming PIP be able to claim the same amount of money. But for new claimants from November 2026, there will be a set of stricter measures set out as the government aims to reduce spending on the benefits and get people back to work. Review by Sir Stephen Timms to delay PIP changes Welfare Minister Stephen Timms has told MPs that any changes to PIP eligibility will come in after his review has been published. The major concession came just 90 minutes before MPs were due to vote. The Timms review is due to report in autumn 2026. His four-point eligibility criteria has been dropped entirely from the legislation. Now, disability groups will work with Timms on his review. Universal Credit More than three million recipients of Universal Credit don't have to find work due to their poor health. A single person who is aged 25 or over can receive the basic level of UC which comes in at £400.14 every month. But that can rise by a further £422.37 due to the incapacity top-up due to a disability or long-term condition - more than doubling the original payment. The new plans mean that anyone up to the age of 22 will not be able to claim. Existing claimants will get £97 per week until the end of the decade. But new claimants will only receive £50 a week in the next financial year. Ministers had tried to freeze the payment for the next four years but a commitment has been made for it to go up with inflation. Employment support package Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall will spend an extra £300 million on employment support she insists is the biggest disability employment support package for a generation. The cash will be spent on trying to get those claiming sickness benefits back into work. A total of £1 billion will be spent in 2028/29.
Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Disability Rebellion says welfare bill will 'strip people of their independence'
Protest forum and organisation, Disability Rebellion, calls out Prime Minister Keir Starmer for PIP cuts that will strip people of their independence, wages and strand them in their homes. On July 1, MPs are set to debate the Disability Benefits cut, a decision that could have detrimental effects on the disabled community and those with special learning needs. According to the House of Commons' UK Disability Statistics from 2023, over 16.1 million disabled individuals live in the UK, many of which rely on the governmental DA (Disability Allowance) and PIP (Personal Independence Payment) to live and earn independently. At 7PM, MP's will gather in the House of Commons to debate and vote Keir Starmer's proposal to cut these benefits, leaving many Brits in an anxious state as their standard of living is on the line. Keir Starmer 's office have campaigned to Labour MPs to vote in confidence of the welfare bill in a desperate attempt to 'save' the £5million estimated cost of national DA. The Prime Minister sought a compromise with the disabled community via an amendment to the bill that protects exiting PIP claimants and maintains the health sector of Universal Credit. However, Starmer's olive branch has been firmly rejected. Mike O'Brien, a leading member of Disability Rebellion, spoke exclusively to the Mirror on the expected fallout of Labour's cuts, should they be voted in favour. Mike stated: "Within our organization and our community, there's a lot of worry at the moment about what's going to happen with the welfare reform. We understand that the concessions have been made, but, the general feeling is that the concessions don't go far enough and they don't offer enough protection". On the immediate effects concerning disabled peoples' independence, he said: "First of all, you're looking at a loss of income, but then it's also going to affect people's independence". For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. He explained that those currently on PIP "are on the higher rate of mobility, they can get a Motability car, but, if for whatever reason they do lose their PIP, they lose that Motability car - basically, that's going to impact their independence. Some people rely on these cars for getting to work. So, they're going to have to either give up their jobs or rely on public transport". The Disability Rebellion spokesperson added: "The government are basically saying that it's about getting people into work. They don't seem to understand that, first of all, PIP isn't an 'out of work' benefit. You can actually claim it while you're working. And they [MPs for the cut] just don't seem to understand the effects that taking people's PIP away will have on their ability to carry on working". A dejected Mike shared his anxieties for the vote, highlighting how his community had all come together in fear of their current way of life, their income and their independence being held at stake, as well as sharing his belief of the decline of mental health for many potentially forced into isolation by the bill. "It will definitely have a knock-on effect on people's mental being and their physical well-being because if you're not feeling well mentally then that can knock onto your physical being as well". Interestingly, Mike opened up about his personal feelings towards the decision to push back the debate till 7PM, suspecting this to be a political move to sway the vote. In a moment of vulnerability, he claimed that "the general consensus seems to me that Labour want to spend money on defence". "Because of Liz Kendall's self-imposed fiscal rule, the general consensus is that all these things are going to be done off the backs of disabled and more vulnerable people in society," added Mike, highlighting the upcoming fears on the Winter fuel cut. "There's definite feelings of dread amongst the people in our community and amongst people within other organizations. We've just learned that the debate has been pushed back because the parental leave debate has gone on. People are now worried that they are doing this deliberately to limit the debate time around the PIP bill so that there can't be as many questions asked". Disability Rebellion is an organisation aiming to fill the gap and support those who may have struggled to attend physical protests due to mobility restrictions or being housebound. The organisation aims to fill that gap for those who wish to get involved. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Do you agree with planned benefit cuts? Yahoo readers have their say
Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. Welfare spending is forecast to rise sharply over the next few years, driven by the UK's ageing population and an increase in the number of people receiving health and disability benefits. It's in this context that the government introduced its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill earlier this month, with the intention of tightening eligibility criteria to both benefits. The proposed legislation aimed to encourage more people off sickness benefits and into work, with the government hoping to save £5bn a year. However, the bill prompted a backbench rebellion of more than 100 Labour MPs, meaning Sir Keir Starmer faced a first major House of Commons defeat during next week's vote. The government responded by watering down the proposals on Friday, with the government now confident of winning the vote. In our poll earlier this week, Yahoo News UK asked our readers if they agreed with the government's plans. It received 3,387 votes and showed a majority - 54% - of readers disagree, with 42% backing Starmer. The poll's Have Your Say feature attracted some passionate comments, with many readers focusing on the impact on the most vulnerable people in society. Alan W from Hertfordshire, said: "These cuts don't save money in the long run, they create deeper poverty, increase homelessness and push more people into crisis, ultimately costing us more in healthcare and social services. We are a compassionate society and our strength lies in supporting each other, not abandoning those who need us most." S Brown, from Norfolk, said: "If these benefit changes go through, I will lose £9,000 a year, due to losing both daily living PIP and the LCWRA [Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity] element of UC. That's half of my yearly income. And part-time work, even if possible, would not claw back the £9,000 I'm going to lose." Our strength lies in supporting each other, not abandoning those who need us most On the other hand, Neil T from Appleton, said: "I believe that the UK needs to greatly reduce funding for social support with families and individuals carrying more responsibility for their needs." Mary T, from Scotland, countered: "Instead of punishing people with genuine reasons for not being able to work, the government should look closer to home for savings: minister's salaries, expenses and taxes. Another area for saving is the NHS salaries paid to GPs, and inflated renumeration for consultants. I'm sure there would be ample opportunity there to save money." The government should look closer to home for savings But Yahoo News UK readers were also asked which areas of government spending they would like to see reduced - and welfare was top with 47% of the votes. This poll received 1,524 votes with the second most common being defence (13%). A similar YouGov poll earlier this year asked members of the public where they thought there is capacity for spending cuts, and the results tallied with the above Yahoo vote. It found Britons are most likely to think there is capacity for spending cuts in welfare, with 51% saying so. Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles
Irish Independent
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Today's top TV and streaming choices: Pushers, The Wedding Singer and Yolanthe
Heston: My Life with Bipolar BBC Two, 8pm In 2023, innovative chef Heston Blumenthal began having hallucinations and suicidal thoughts, leading to him being sectioned. Here, he discusses his experiences, as well as the impact that being diagnosed as bipolar has had on him. Capaillíní TG4, 8pm The final episode of this gentle series features pony enthusiast Mike Frank Ó Confhaola, who explains his passion for travelling by cart. Plus, there's a trip to the farm in Léim where famous pony Cannonball once lived and worked. Fíorscéal TG4, 10.50pm As concerns continue to grow about climate change, this programme offers insights into ways in which agriculture could become more sustainable. Pushers Channel 4, 10pm & 10.30pm If you have a good memory, you may remember that, back in 2022, Channel 4 broadcast Comedy Blaps, a series of short sitcoms of varying quality. Easily the best of them was Disability Benefits, co-written by comedian Rosie Jones and Peter Fellows, a screenwriter whose CV features The Death of Stalin, Veep, Avenue 5 and Fantastic Friends. Jones also played the lead role of Emily, a young woman facing a financial nightmare after losing her job and having the titular payments cut by the government, forcing her into a life of crime. That one-off won the Best Newform Drama Series trophy at the C21 International Drama awards, so it came as no surprise when Sharon Horgan's Merman Television was commissioned to turn it into a full series by Channel 4. 'Rosie has a truly unique voice and storytelling ability, alongside impeccable comedic timing, and we are proud to be working with her on her first scripted TV project,' says Merman's co-founder, Clelia Mountford. Jones herself adds: 'I am incredibly excited. It has always been my dream to have my own sitcom and now it is coming true! Bring it on!' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more The series, now titled Pushers, continues Emily's story, following her as she builds an illegal drugs empire, right under the noses of the authorities who underestimate her abilities. Clive Russell, Ryan McPartland, Lynn Hunter and Rhiannon Clements are also among the cast. The Wedding Singer RTÉ2, 9.35pm Charming romantic comedy with Adam Sandler as a popular wedding performer whose life takes a downward turn when his fiancée jilts him. However, things start looking up after he meets a perky waitress (Drew Barrymore) — sadly, she happens to be engaged to someone else. Yolanthe Prime Video, streaming now Some eyeball bubblegum in the form of Netflix's 'first Dutch reality series'. It follows Yolanthe Cabau as she builds a life in LA with Wesley Sneijder's son. America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Netflix, streaming now Expect gussets galore and grinning faces all over your Netflix landing page for the foreseeable. The creators of Cheer and Last Chance U bring you season two of the auditions. We Were Liars Prime Video, streaming now Based on E Lockhart's YA 2014 book. You can guess the rest. Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem Netflix, streaming now Initially dismissed as a joke by politicians and the media alike, Rob Ford's unexpected 2010 Toronto mayoral election bid defied expectations with a stunning landslide victory. However, his administration soon spiralled into chaos, marred by scandals and allegations of hard drug use, igniting an international media frenzy. Rob was 15 years too early; no one would bat an eyelid nowadays. Sally Disney+, streaming now Sally Ride made history as the first American woman in space, but behind her serene exterior lay a deeply personal story. For 27 years, she shared her life with writer and professional tennis player Tam O'Shaughnessy, who now unveils the untold journey of their relationship in this Cristina Costantini-directed film. American Thunder Prime Video, streaming now Celebrating its 100th anniversary in June 2023, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans — one of motorsports' most prestigious endurance races — introduced an unexpected competitor: stock car aficionados Nascar. As for what they brought to proceedings? A Chevrolet Camaro to compete against cutting-edge Ferrari and Porsche prototypes in this almost fabled, gruelling test of long-distance racing. Competing at Le Mans was the lifelong dream of Nascar chairman and CEO Jim France. As such, he brought in Hendrick Motorsports, the most successful team in Nascar history, to build and race the car (which, again, was a Camaro). On the plus side, he also enlisted the help of elite drivers Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson and Mike Rockenfeller. Over the course of 18 months, this team transformed a car built for (at most) three-hour oval track races in the US into one capable of surviving the relentless 24-hour challenge. Deep Cover Prime Video, streaming now Not to be mistaken for the 1990s movie starring Fishburne and Goldblum, this film is about an improv teacher and her two students posing as criminals to slip into London's underworld. Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed and Sean Bean have their work cut out for them to make this fly. Return to the Wild Disney+, streaming now Famed as 'the greatest living explorer', Sir Ranulph 'Ran' Fiennes joins his cousin, actor Joseph Fiennes (no sign of brother Ralph, unfortunately), on a breathtaking journey through British Columbia. As they navigate its rugged terrain, they reflect on Ran's legendary expeditions, his battle with Parkinson's, and the deepening bond forged through their shared adventure. Echo Valley AppleTV+, streaming now Julianne Moore and Domhnall Gleeson are getting all the work of late. Both co-star in this thriller about a mother who will do anything to keep her drug-addled daughter 'safe' (including body disposal). Written by Brad Ingelsby (Mare of Easttown), this moody (if a tad predictable) number stars Sydney Sweeney alongside 'dad' Kyle MacLachlan and Fiona Shaw.
