Making cuts to sickness and disability benefits and tightening eligibility rules will “destroy the lives” of those in genuine need and lead to food banks becoming overwhelmed, benefits claimants have warned.
Rachel Reeves is set to deliver her Spring Statement to Parliament on Wednesday.
The Chancellor has said the statement will not be a “tax and spend” event. However, spending cuts are expected as reports suggest that weak growth and high borrowing costs may have already wiped out the Government’s £9.9bn in fiscal headroom.
The Government is expected to reduce spending by billions of pounds in what have been described as the biggest cuts since austerity.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced around £5bn in cuts to sickness and disability benefits last week in a Green Paper outlining reforms.
However, many of the key details were missing, including where exactly the savings will be made.
It is expected the bulk of cuts will come from tightening eligibility for personal independence payments (PIP) – a key disability benefit.
The Government also failed to set out how many people this would affect last week and insisted details will be revealed at the Spring Statement.
Gillian Oliver, 47, who has severe arthritis and mental health issues, receives PIP and universal credit. She told The i Paper she relies on these benefits to survive.
Gillian Oliver, 47, says she is barely surviving on benefitsShe said that if any benefits are cut or taken away from people in genuine need like her, it will “destroy them” as she relies on this money to survive.
“Any cuts to benefits announced in the Spring Statement will have a terrible impact and be brutal and absolutely destroy people like me,” she said.
“There are a lot of people on benefits who shouldn’t be as they are capable of working, so medical professionals should definitely be tougher on them.
“But genuine people like me are going to suffer. We’re not going to be able to manage and food banks will be overwhelmed and there won’t be enough to go round.”
Ms Oliver, who lives in Tyne and Wear in the North East, said she needs to stay warm because of her arthritis. “Gas and electricity is extortionate anyway, but any cuts to benefits will mean people aren’t going to be able to afford to pay their bills and end up in lots of debt,” she added.
“Some people will end up freezing as they won’t put their heating on and it will cost lives.”
‘The system is already not working’
James Suett, 29, who lives in Stockport, Greater Manchester, was initially refused PIP even though a machine was keeping him alive. He later won after taking his case to tribunal.
When James Suett, 29, was on peritoneal dialysis, there was over 20kg of extra fluid in his bodyMr Suett, who works as a surveyor, was fit and healthy and played a lot of football when he suddenly began suffering from cramps and headaches.
He was admitted to hospital after his blood pressure rocketed and tests revealed his kidneys were only functioning at around 11 per cent.
He underwent dialysis to keep him alive and was put on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.
His kidney function carried on deteriorating to just 4 per cent. He became so ill that some days, he could not even get out of bed and had to be helped to get into the shower.
However, when he applied for PIP, he was turned down as he was deemed “not sick enough” to qualify.
Why Labour says the cuts are necessary
When elected, the Labour Government said it would reduce the welfare bill by more than £5bn by 2030 – matching Tory savings from the previous administration – but would bring forward new reforms to make the savings.
The Government has said the measures will be fair and sustainable, whilst protecting vulnerable disabled people who will never be able to work, and are designed to tackle the ballooning welfare bill.
Spending on PIP – to help disabled people with day to day support – is projected to almost double to £34bn by 2029-30.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, spending on working-age health-related benefits overall – which includes out of work incapacity benefits – rose from £36bn in 2019-20 to £48bn in 2023-24 – and is projected to rise to even further, to more than £60bn, by 2029.
Meanwhile ministers are under pressure to tackle an increase in the number of economically inactive people, with a recent spike in people not currently working or in education due to a health condition.
One in 10 people of working age are claiming some kind of sickness or disability welfare, according to the Government, and almost three million people are out of work due to a health condition.
Despite appealing, he was still rejected – but after taking his case to tribunal, he won. After hearing all the evidence, it took the panel less than 20 minutes to decide in his favour and he received backdated payments of the PIP who should have received.
Mr Suett, who has now had a kidney transplant, said: “The system is already not working as I found out when I was rejected for PIP even though a dialysis machine was keeping me alive.
“The fact that I was rejected and then rejected again before winning at tribunal shows the PIP system isn’t effective in supporting people who need it.
“I am now back at work, but I needed PIP at this time of need and there has to be that safety net for people.
“I had to fight for PIP and there will be people who desperately need this benefit and making the system tougher for them is not going to help.
“The Government needs to work with charities and organisations to work out how to help those who need it and put their minds at ease.”
Sarah Drinkwater, 48, who lives in Pembrokeshire, had her PIP withdrawn following brain surgery as she wasn’t considered ill enough. She later won her case at tribunal and was awarded full PIP.
Sarah Drinkwater, 48, had her PIP withdrawn following brain surgery as she wasn’t considered ill enoughMs Drinkwater had been receiving around £68 a week PIP benefit for around five years after suffering from serious stomach issues.
After also being diagnosed with a serious brain condition, she underwent brain surgery in October 2023 to try to alleviate some of her symptoms.
The mother of one applied for a change of circumstances with her PIP, believing the impacts of her serious brain and spinal conditions on her health and daily life would mean she was entitled to more money.
Instead, soon after undergoing brain surgery, she was told her PIP was being revoked.
Ms Drinkwater, who takes more than 20 tablets a day and suffers from extreme dizziness as a result of her brain condition, said: “I do actually agree with them being more stringent with PIP to weed out the people who are carrying out benefit fraud.
“If you are genuinely ill, it should 100 per cent be backed up with a medical report from a doctor or specialist.
“But I had all this and had all the evidence from doctors, but I was still turned down until I took the matter to tribunal.
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square NEWS First PersonAs a disabled Labour voter, I feel betrayed by the PIP cuts
Read More“A lot of it is down to the people doing the PIP interviews and assessments and they seem to get it wrong in so many cases only for their decision to be overturned at tribunal.
“If they make the system even stricter and more difficult, the impact will be harsh on vulnerable people who are already battling serious health conditions.
“But they will just have to do what I did and keep fighting and take it through the courts.
“It is horrible that people need to do this and go without the money for all that time, but they have to be prepared to fight when they know the decision is wrong.”
A DWP spokesperson previously said: “We support millions of people through our welfare system every year but have been clear that reform is urgently needed so it is fairer on the taxpayer and helps long-term sick and disabled people who can work to find employment, whilst ensuring it provides support for those who need it most.”
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