EasyRead: government changes to PIP and other disability benefits

1. 

   On the 26th of March, Rachel Reeves the Chancellor the Exchequer said she would make many changes to benefits from April 2026.

2. 

   She gave a Spring Statement, to tell everyone how much money they government would take in and spend. She said the government wants to spend less on benefits.

3. 

   The government wants to make changes to Personal Independence Payments, also called PIP. PIP is money given to people with a disability so they can live a normal life.

4. 

   People in Scotland do not get PIP. They can get an Adult Disability Payment, which is not going to change.

5. 

   To get PIP, people are tested to see how much they are disabled. People are scored on how difficult they find different parts of normal life, like cooking or bathing.

6. 

   The scores go from 0 to 12. Needing help to wash below your waist is scored lower out of 12. Needing help to wash between your shoulders and waist is scored higher out of 12.

7. 

   Before, someone could get PIP if they have low scores on many different areas. That will change. To get PIP they will need to have scored at least 4 in one area.

8. 

   The government wants to test people claiming PIP more often, to see if they still need it.

9. 

   If someone has a permanent disability they won't get tested again.

10. 

    Universal credit will also change. From April 2026 the basic amount of Universal credit will rise above inflation.

11. 

    Inflation is a rise in prices, measured over a certain amount of time and affects how far your money will go.

12. 

    Another change is around the Top Up. You could get more money from Universal Credit if you were disabled. This was called an Incapacity Top Up.

13. 

    The government has plans to give less money to new people getting the Top Up less money. People who are under 22 will not be able to get the Top Up at all.

14. 

    In this plan, people who already get the Top Up will stay the same. The amount will not increase until 2029. Because of inflation, this will mean it will be worth less money.

15. 

    The government thinks 430,000 people will get less money from PIP, and 370,000 people will stop getting PIP at all.

16. 

    Another change is the health element which you can get if you can’t work because of sickness or disability. For new claims this means the money you get will go down in 2025 and again in 2026

17. 

    But the Government says that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions – who will never get better and will never be able to work – will see their incomes protected

18. 

    The government says it will spend a billion pounds to help people with disabilities find work. It thinks this will make up for some of the losses.

19. 

    The government want to start a new plan call ‘right to try work’ so people can try a job with less risk of losing their benefits straight away

20. 

    Other changes include the Work Capability Assessment is to be scrapped in 2028 and a new system introduced

21. 

    Some Labour Members of Parliament are upset that the changes the government is making. They say it is wrong for a Labour government to take money from the poor.

22. 

    The government says that it's not right for people who can work to take benefits money instead. They say that the changes will make more people find work.

23. 

    The government is looking for feedback on only some of the suggested changes around PIP and the Top Up before the end of June.

24. 

    You can have your say on the changes by clicking here.

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