Tag: disability

Decline in remote jobs could undermine Government plans to get Britain working, research warns

  • Findings from the UK’s largest mixed‑methods study of disabled remote and hybrid workers show that 85% of respondents say access to homeworking is essential or very important when looking for a new job
  • Nearly half (46%) of the participants in the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study want to work remotely all the time, with disabled women and disabled carers more likely to want to work fully from home 
  • However, analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows declining levels of remote job opportunities. In 2024/25, only one in 23 job adverts on Adzuna (4.3%) were fully remote – half the level seen during the pandemic peak of 8.7% in 2020/21
  • Growth in the availability of hybrid jobs appears to have stalled, with only one in seven (13.5%) job vacancies offering hybrid work in 2024/25
  • Researchers warn a shortage of suitable jobs could undermine the Government’s ambition to get Britain working, and echo a recent House of Lords call for Ministers to ensure remote and hybrid working is being prioritised to boost disabled people’s employment.

The Government’s plan to get people working could face a significant challenge as remote-only job opportunities decline, warn researchers behind the largest study of disabled workers experiences of remote and hybrid working in the UK.

Research shows that almost half (46%) of 1,221 survey participants wanted to work remotely all the time, yet the numbers of remote jobs in the UK have decreased drastically since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, with 50% fewer remote only roles advertised compared to 2020/21.

As part of the largest study of disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid work in the UK – conducted by researchers from Lancaster University, the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Universal Inclusion, and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – researchers studied job vacancy data from global job platform, Adzuna.

Remote and hybrid working remain more common than before the pandemic, but growth is slowing. In the year to April 2025, 17.8% of UK vacancies offered either fully remote (4.3%) or hybrid roles (13.5%), up from 3.1% pre-pandemic. However, fully remote jobs have fallen sharply since their peak, and growth in hybrid roles has stalled.

Dr Paula Holland from Lancaster University, who led the research, said: “The increased availability of remote and hybrid working since before the pandemic has improved many disabled people’s experience of work.

“Our findings indicate disabled employees gain significant benefits including improved mental and physical health, better work-life balance and increased productivity.

“However, companies mandating returns to the office have seen remote-only opportunities plummet. This could prevent some disabled workers from returning and staying in work. At a time when the Government wants to get people working, access to suitable homeworking roles can be the difference between working or not working.”

At a time when the Government wants to get people working, disabled workers report that access to suitable homeworking roles can be the difference between working or not working.”

Homeworking can support disabled workers, but only if done well

The UK Government has committed to supporting more disabled people to remain in or return to work as part of its wider efforts to boost employment by two million people to an 80% employment rate.

Disabled people currently represent one in four workers in the workforce, but the disability employment gap – the difference between the employment rates of disabled and non-disabled people  – remains at 29.8 percentage points.

A UK Government study indicates remote work could support people out of work claiming health and disability benefits. One in four respondents (25%) who said they are currently unable to work stated that they could do so if they worked remotely.

The recent House of Lords Home-based Working Inquiry called on the Government to set out whether remote and hybrid working are being considered as part of existing initiatives to support people who are disabled or have long-term health conditions back into work.

The final report of the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study highlights remote and hybrid working as a key part of the solution to improving employment outcomes for disabled people. Key findings include:

·        64% of fully remote disabled workers said their work pattern positively affected their physical health, compared to 31% of those working remotely less than half the time

·        46% of participants wanted to work remotely all the time. There was also demand for hybrid working: 25% wanted to work from home four days a week and 27% for three days or less. Only 1.6% wanted to stop working from home

·        Women, carers and people with multiple or severely limiting impairments/health conditions were particularly likely to report they only wanted to work from home

·        85% of participants said that having access to remote/hybrid working would be essential or very important if looking for a new job. 79% would not apply for a job without remote options

·        Black and ethnic minority workers and less affluent workers were significantly less likely than white or more affluent workers to report remote/hybrid working had positive outcomes for their health and employment.

Dr Paula Holland continues, “Remote and hybrid working can benefit both employees and employers. The organisations we interviewed reported improved staff retention and recruitment as a result of implementing remote working policies including reduced sick leave and improved wellbeing.

“However, employers must ensure disabled workers have the resources and support they need. Over half of survey participants reported reasonable adjustments to support working from home had not been implemented, and black and ethnic minority workers reported significantly less positive outcomes.”

Rebecca Florisson, Principal Analyst, from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented: “For many disabled workers, homeworking isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – it’s essential to be able to enter into, and remain in work.

“Our research shows strong demand for remote and hybrid work among disabled people, yet fully remote job vacancies have halved since the pandemic and growth in hybrid jobs has stalled.

“If the Government is serious about getting Britain working, it must make sure the right jobs are available by expanding access to flexible work. Threats to cut disabled people’s welfare will not support them into work if the jobs they need simply aren’t there.”

Amongst its recommendations, the study calls on the UK Government to:

1.     Expand access to remote and hybrid jobs by making these and other forms of flexible working a core part of efforts to increase disabled people’s employment, including through clearing Access to Work backlogs

2.     Encourage employers to advertise flexibility upfront, including remote and hybrid options, particularly on the DWP’s Find a Job portal.

3.     Address regional inequalities in access to hybrid work through the Government’s Industrial Strategy.

4.     Strengthen reasonable adjustments, ensuring employers properly consider remote and hybrid working and meet their duties under the Equality Act 2010.

5.     Improve accountability, including requiring large employers to report on outcomes for disabled workers.

Simon, a graphic designer from Derby who has Long Covid, works in a fully remote job for a design agency. He said, “Remote work lets me work. I have chronic fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS).

“Walking a short distance or going up the stairs can really exhaust me. Because I’m energy-limited, I need to budget my energy, pace myself and regularly lie down to rest.

“The adaptations I need are not so much equipment, but the ability to be able to take regular breaks throughout the day, where I can rest and recharge. Homeworking is much more tailored to my needs than being in the office.

“I can make the most of my working hours without a commute, so that means I have much more energy available to use for work itself. I’d find the commute to the office exhausting.

“Remote work has been a lifeline and my employer has been very supportive. Despite my health challenges, I’m just as productive working from home as I was at the office.”

Rebecca from Merseyside is a business manager in the public sector on a temporary fixed-term contract. She is autistic and has ADHD with comorbid anxiety and depression, she said, “I’ve been remote-only since 2020.

“I got an occupational health recommendation for permanent homeworking. The lack of external disruption allows me to better manage my condition.”

She has been looking for a new job for over 20 months, as she is on a temporary fixed-term contract. Rebecca continues: “I would be waiting forever if I only searched for homeworking roles.

In the last year, I’ve been offered four jobs but three have been withdrawn upon receipt of my occupational health recommendation.”

She has now accepted a new permanent full-time home-working contract at a lower salary than her current role, as she doesn’t believe she’ll find another homeworking job at her existing level that meets her needs.

Vera, from London, is in her twenties and works remotely for a healthcare company. Following stem cell treatment for her multiple sclerosis (MS), she was unable to return to a frontline role.

A recent study by the Work Foundation and the MS Society found that nearly half of people with MS (47%) look for job locations that require little or no travel.

“Remote work has made it possible for me to stay in employment — without it I couldn’t work,” she says. “While I’ve reduced my hours to four days a week, working from home means I can manage cognitive fatigue and rest during lunch breaks so I can stay productive.

“But I feel stuck, as there are so few remote-only roles. These are realistically the only roles I can apply for if I want to keep working and progress in my career.”

The report ‘Breaking down barriers: How remote and hybrid work can support disabled workers’ is published at: 

https://wp.lancs.ac.uk/inclusive-working/ 

and 

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundation/breaking-down-barriers.

Disabled people to shape review into Personal Independence Payment

Disabled people will be at the heart of the first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) following the appointment of two co-chairs, and the launch of a recruitment process for its wider steering group, says DWP

  • First ever full review of Personal Independence Payment to be led by disabled people with appointment of two co-chairs.
  • Recruitment for steering group launched to lead co-production and provide strategic direction.
  • UK Government to partner with disabled people to make sure their views and voices are at the heart of policy making.

Disabled people will be at the heart of the first ever full review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) following the appointment of two co-chairs, and the launch of a recruitment process for its wider steering group. 

Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan have been appointed as co-chairs of the Timms Review, alongside the Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms. 

Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE brings more than 25 years’ experience as a national advocate for disability rights, co-production and social justice. He is Associate Director at Think Local Act Personal, a Trustee of Disability Rights UK, and National Development Team for Inclusion. 

Sharon Brennan brings expertise from previous roles including as Director of Policy and External Affairs at National Voices, a coalition of health and care charities, and advising the Department for Transport on accessibility as a member of the Disabled Person’s Transport Advisory Committee. 

Since PIP was introduced over a decade ago, there have been shifting trends in long-term health conditions and disability, plus changes in wider society and the workplace. 

Close to 10 million working age people are disabled, and this number has grown by nearly 3 million since 2013/14. There have been greater increases in the prevalence of disability among young people and a rise in mental health conditions. 

However, despite these shifts, PIP has never been fully reviewed until now. 

The aim of this review is to make sure PIP fairly reflects the reality of the impact of people’s conditions in the modern world, as well as considering the needs of disabled people more widely. It will look at the role of PIP in enabling disabled people to live independently and fully participate in society, as well as the role of the assessment in unlocking wider support.   

Minister for Social Security and Disability, Stephen Timms said:  “We’re ensuring disabled people and those with long-term health conditions can access the same opportunities, choices, and chances as everyone else.   

“That’s why we’re putting them at the heart of the first ever full review of PIP – making sure it is fair and fit for the future. 

“I’m delighted to welcome Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE and Sharon Brennan as the Review’s co-chairs and encourage people with lived experience to apply to be part of this important work.”

The Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them and other experts, and will explore how PIP helps people manage and adapt to their long-term condition or disability in ways that expand their functioning and improve their independence. 

An Expression of Interest has launched today to recruit 12 members for the Review’s steering group – the majority of whom will be disabled people or representatives of Disabled People’s Organisations – and will lead the co-production and strategic direction of the Review. 

The steering group will not work alone: it will oversee a programme of participation that brings together the full range of views and voices. It will also draw on a broad range of evidence, sources and co-production methodologies to develop its recommendations. 

Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE said: “We have an opportunity to ensure PIP reflects the everyday realities of disabled people’s lives. 

“I’m committed to working with my fellow co-chairs and the steering group so this benefit becomes something that empowers rather than frustrates: a system built on dignity, fairness, and trust.”

Sharon Brennan said: “As a disabled person myself, I know from experience that disabled people are often disregarded on issues that affect them, so I am delighted that with this Review we will see them leading the conversation.   

“The Government’s commitment to co-production of the Review will put the expertise and experience of disabled people at the heart of the important change we’re determined deliver.”

The Review’s Terms of Reference have also been updated following changes made to the Universal Credit Act, and to provide further clarity on the Review’s scope. 

The Review is expected to report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by Autumn 2026, with an interim update expected ahead of that. 

Today’s announcement follows extensive engagement that the Minister for Social Security and Disability undertook over the summer, meeting with representatives from over 50 organisations across the disability, welfare and co-production sectors, to discuss how co-production should be approached. 

Alongside today’s announcement, as previously outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we will also continue to consider ways of using evidence from eligibility for other services to reduce the need for some people with very severe health conditions and disabilities to undergo a full PIP functional assessment. 

We have also begun to explore how the process of transferring supporting medical evidence from the NHS to the department could be digitalised, where people have already consented to the NHS sharing that with us. This could reduce the administrative burden on both PIP applicants and the NHS as well as speed up the overall claim journey.  

  • The Expression of Interest is available on GOV.UK and will run for four weeks.  Alternative formats (including BSL, Easy Read and audio) are available on request via GOV.UK. 
  • The Timms Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026.

Welfare bill ‘will protect the most vulnerable and help households with income boost’

TRUSSELL: The new Universal Credit and PIP bill will push nearly HALF A MILLION more people into severe hardship and towards the doors of food banks

Additional protections for millions of vulnerable people on benefits are set to be written into law, under new measures being introduced to Parliament yesterday [18 June 2025].

  • New welfare legislation to ensure there are robust protections in place to support the most vulnerable and severely disabled.
  • Nearly 4 million households to benefit from uprating of Universal Credit standard rate, the largest, permanent real-terms increase to basic out of work support since 1980, according to the IFS.
  • More than 200,000 people with most severe, lifelong conditions to be protected from future reassessment for Universal Credit entitlement.
  • 13-week period of financial support for those affected by PIP changes as part of upcoming welfare reforms.
  • Comes alongside £1 billion employment support package that will unlock opportunity and grow the economy as part of the Plan for Change.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will provide 13-weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants affected by changes to the PIP daily living component, including those who their lose eligibility to Carers Allowance and the carer’s element of Universal Credit, according to the UK government – but charity Trussell says the bill will push nearly HALF A MILLION more people into severe hardship.

The 13-week additional protection will give people who will be affected by the changes time to adapt, access new, tailored employment support, and plan for their future once they are reassessed and their entitlement ends.

This transitional cover is one of the most generous ever and more than three times the length of protection provided for the transition from DLA to PIP.

The Labour government says it inherited a broken social security system, with costs spiralling at an unsustainable rate and millions of people trapped out of work. The case for change is stark:

  • Since the pandemic, the number of PIP awards has more than doubled – up from 13,000 a month to 34,000 a month. That is around 1,000 people signing on to PIP every day – that is roughly the size of Leicester signing up every year.
  • The surge has been largely by driven by a substantial increase in the number of people who report anxiety and depression as their main condition. Before the pandemic (in 2019), 2,500 people a month were awarded PIP for these conditions, this has more than tripled to 8,200 a month in 2023.
  • Almost 1 million young people – 1 in 8 – are not in education, employment or training.
  • 1-in-10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit.
  • Without reform, the number of working age people on disability benefits is set to more than double this decade to 4.3 million.
  • Spending on working age disability and incapacity benefits is up £20 billion since the pandemic and is set to increase by almost that much again by the end of this Parliament, to a staggering £70 billion a year.

Labour says that’s why, through the introduction of this Bill; the government is fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it.

“This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.

“This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.”

As part of our (i.e. the Westminster govertnment’s) commitment to protect the most vulnerable and severely disabled, peace of mind will also be given to 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group – individuals with the most severe and permanently disabling conditions who will never be able to work – as they will not be called for reassessed for Universal Credit (UC) under new legislation.

Those protected from reassessment will also be paid the higher rate of UC health top up of £97 per week, so they can live with dignity and security, knowing the reforms to the welfare system mean it will always be there to support them.

In the coming weeks, legislation will also be drafted for a Right to Try Guarantee. This will ensure that trying work will not, in and of itself, lead to a reassessment or award review, breaking down barriers to employment.

Reforms being delivered by the legislation introduced today go hand in hand with a £1 billion employment support package to support more people with health conditions back into work, unlocking opportunity and growing the economy as part of the Plan for Change.

Funding will offer personalised employment and health support for individuals on out of work benefits, with 500,000 people having already been supported into employment. This is a quadrupling the level of annual spend on supporting sick and disabled people into work, from the £275m in 2024/25 we inherited, to over £1bn in 2029/30.

Nearly 4 million households will also receive an income boost with the main rate of Universal Credit set to increase above inflation every year for the next four years – estimated to be worth £725 by 2029/30 for a single household 25 or over. This is around £250 higher than an inflation only increases.

The Bill will also rebalance Universal Credit rates by reducing the health element for new UC claims to £50 from April 2026, fixing a system which encourages sickness by paying health element recipients more than double the standard amount.

To open up opportunities to work, everyone affected by changes to the UC health element from April 2026 will be offered support from a dedicated Pathways to Work adviser, with 1,000 advisers in place across Britain.

All of those affected by reforms will be actively contacted and given the offer of a conversation about their support needs, goals and aspirations; offered one-to-one follow-on support, and given help to access additional work, health and skills support that can meet their needs.

The reforms build on the Get Britain Working White Paper that will overhaul Jobcentres, empower Mayors and local leaders to tackle inactivity, and deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, as part of the Government’s ambition to deliver an 80% employment rate.

Additional information

  • The Bill will introduce a new additional eligibility requirement for the daily living component of PIP so that a minimum of 4 points must be scored on at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component. It will also rebalance Universal Credit.
  • The Work and Pensions Secretary gave a speech at the IPPR on setting out the case for reforming the welfare system: Welfare reform: Speech to the IPPR by Work and Pensions Secretary – GOV.UK
  • Based on current forecasts, the rebalancing mean single households 25 or over, will see their standard allowance rise to around £106pw by the end of this parliament.
  • Current UC health top up is more than double the UC standard allowance for a single claimant.

There are 4 criteria for the healthcare professional to consider, all of which must apply for the claimant to meet the SCC, namely whether:

  • The individual’s level of function will always meet LCWRA
  • The individual’s condition will last for the rest of their life
  • There is no realistic prospect of recovery of function, and
  • The condition has been diagnosed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in the course of the provision of NHS services.

Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary: “Scrap damaging welfare reforms”

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has urged the UK Government to protect and enhance social security rather than making cuts.

The UK Government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has been published today, which includes the details of the first set of changes to ill-health and disability benefits. The Scottish Government will not mirror the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) changes in Adult Disability Payment in Scotland.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The UK Government’s proposed reforms will be hugely damaging to those who rely on social security support, particularly during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

“These plans have yet to be passed at Westminster, so there is still time for the UK Government to step back from this damaging policy and I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals.

“The UK Government’s own analysis highlights how the proposals will push 250,000 more people across the UK into poverty – including 50,000 children. With around half of all children in poverty in Scotland living in a household with a disabled person, the changes threaten to undermine the progress that we are making to reduce child poverty, and the work of the UK Government’s Child Poverty Taskforce.

“That the UK Government is prioritising deep cuts to disabled people’s support is made even worse by their failure to abolish the two-child limit, which is estimated to have pushed more than 35,000 children into poverty since July last year.

“The reforms do not reflect the Scottish Government’s values. We will not let disabled people down or cast them aside as the UK Government has done. We will not cut Scotland’s Adult Disability Payment.

“The UK Government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it. If they do not, then disabled people can draw no other conclusion than the UK Government remain content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.”

Responding to the publication of the bill, Helen Barnard, Director of policy at Trussell said: “The UK government’s new Universal Credit and PIP bill, put before Parliament today, does almost nothing to ease the concerns of hundreds of the thousands of disabled people who fear that their social security support will be ripped from them.

“In fact, this bill will push nearly half a million more people into severe hardship and towards the doors of food banks.

“It is easy to see why so many MPs have voiced concerns about the damage this bill will do. What has been published today offers little for MPs deeply concerned about the impact of these cuts on their constituents.

“The last minute details on protections offer something for a small proportion of people, but even they will still see a real-terms cut. The reality of this bill is still record cuts in support for disabled people, and the biggest cuts to social security since 2015.

“It is shocking that MPs are being asked to vote through cuts without a full assessment of their impact, and especially worrying as we know that already three in four people referred to the Trussell community are disabled or live with someone who is.

“We know hunger and hardship already pushes up public service costs alone by £13.7 billion. MPs are being asked to vote for a Bill that will drive up hunger and hardship and undermine the UK government’s promises on economic growth and ending the need for emergency food.”

Today, the UK government published a bill, aimed at reforming the benefits system. Unfortunately, as it stands, this will be a disaster for disabled people – and is likely to worsen people’s living conditions, undermine their mental health, and increase the risk of suicide, says Mental Health Foundation.

These plans will not help reduce the number of disabled people out of work. Instead, they are counterproductive and cruel.

A more effective alternative for the government would be to move forward with its progressive policies that encourage people to return to work, such as the Right to Try scheme and improvements to support in job centres, and look at how well those work, without cutting support for disabled people.

‘Cruel Cuts’: Trussell urges UK government to think again

15,000 people in disabled households in Scotland will be forced into severe hardship if the UK government goes ahead with cuts to social security, warns Trussell

  • New report reveals hundreds of thousands of people will be pushed into severe hardship if government goes ahead with ‘cruel’ cuts to disability payments
  • 15,000 more people in disabled households will be at risk of needing to use a food bank

New analysis from anti-poverty charity Trussell has found that 15,000 people in disabled households across Scotland will be forced into severe hardship and at risk of needing a food bank in 2029/30, if the UK government goes ahead with planned cuts to social security.

The report – produced by economic and public policy experts WPI Economics for Trussell – models the projected impact of proposed changes to social security for disabled people on the number of people facing hunger and hardship in Scotland, a measure of deep poverty which captures people at risk of needing to use a food bank now or in the future.

This new analysis comes just weeks after it was revealed that almost 240,000 emergency food parcels were distributed by the Trussell community across Scotland during the past year. This is equivalent to one parcel every two minutes and a 101% increase compared to a decade ago.

Across the UK, it is projected that 440,000 people in disabled households will be forced into severe hardship. It also shows that the UK government’s planned increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit will move 95,000 people out of severe hardship – which Trussell says is clear evidence this welcome step cannot possibly make up for the sheer scale of the damage of cuts. The net impact of reforms will still be around 340,000 more people in disabled households facing hunger and hardship.

Trussell warns that UK government’s proposed £7 billion cuts to support for disabled people are likely to undermine its goal of increasing employment and will drive higher costs for public services.

Trussell and WPI Economics have shown that even before these cuts, the ongoing failure to tackle hunger and hardship leads to the Scottish government spending an additional £860m a year on public services alone, like the NHS, schools and children’s social care.

As MPs prepare to vote on legislation to introduce the cuts, Trussell is urging the UK government to think again and halt these damaging cuts to support for disabled people. They will be condemning hundreds of thousands of people to severe hardship and piling the pressure on food banks across the country, which are already stretched to breaking point.

As well as axing the proposed cuts, Trussell is calling on the UK government to bring forward the planned increase to the basic rate of Universal Credit so it comes into full effect from April 2026, rather than April 2029.

Cara Hilton, senior policy manager for Scotland at Trussell, said: “This UK government was elected on a promise of change, and with a commitment to end the need for food banks. If the government goes ahead with these ill-considered and cruel cuts to social security, this promise will not be kept – and instead, they will risk leaving behind a legacy of rising poverty and hunger.

“Tackling fiscal challenges should not be done at the expense of people already facing hunger and hardship. These cuts will force 440,000 people in disabled households into severe hardship and leave them at risk of needing a food bank. We urge the government not to continue down this damaging path.

“We support the plan to reform employment support and help more people into work, where their health allows this and accessible jobs are available, but these proposed cuts will utterly undermine this goal. Slashing support will damage people’s health and reduce their ability to engage in training and work.”

Craig Crosthwaite, manager at North Ayrshire Foodbank, said: “Most days we see people coming to the food bank who have a disability or are caring for someone with a disability in their household.

“Social security payments do not allow people to afford the essentials, and this is amplified when you are also dealing with the extra costs of managing a disability. Life simply costs more for disabled people.  We fear that should these cuts be forced through Parliament, we will see many more people being forced to access our help.”

You can find out how many emergency food parcels were distributed in your area, and write to your MP to express your concerns at these cruel cuts, on the Trussell website: https://campaign.trussell.org.uk/parcels-by-postcode

hunger_and_hardship_final_report (1)Download

UK Government urged to abandon ‘immoral’ disability benefit cuts

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has written to UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, calling for an urgent change to the UK Government’s “immoral and reckless” social security reforms.

Ms Somerville welcomed the suggestion by Prime Minister Keir Starmer that cuts to winter fuel payment could be eased, but said this was not enough.

In the letter the Social Justice Secretary said: ‘I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister announce plans to ease the Winter Fuel Payment cuts in Parliament last week.

‘I am also aware of various media reports suggesting that a change in the UK Government’s two-child limit may be announced shortly. I welcome these developments and recognise that it is a step in the right direction to delivering a more robust Social Security system.

‘However, deep concerns remain around the UK government’s damaging social security reforms, including those announced in the ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper.

‘Given the speculation on the reversal or partial reversal of policies on Winter Fuel Payment and Two Child Cap, I call on you to urgently scrap these immoral proposals on disabled benefits.

‘These plans will only push more into poverty. It is therefore reckless and totally unacceptable for the UK Government to press ahead, not least due to the expected severity of the impact they will have on all our efforts to end child poverty – completely undermining the work of the UK Child Poverty Taskforce.’ 

Charity welcomes launch of Scottish Pension Age Disability Payment

A Scottish charity has welcomed the launch of the Pension Age Disability Payment. From today, the payment is available across all of Scotland for older people living with a disability or health condition.

Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age, said: “With the national rollout of the new Pension Age Disability Payment which replaces Attendance Allowance in Scotland, it’s really important that eligible older people receive this support, and everything else, that they’re entitled to.

“Our Older People’s Economic Wellbeing Index Scotland found that one in four (24%) people in later life with a health condition are not aware of disability related social security payments.  

“This is money for people of State Pension age who are disabled, have a long-term health condition, or are terminally ill. It is not means tested.  

“For older people who think they might be eligible, they can find out more from Independent Age’s new Pension Age Disability Payment guide. This is free and has up to date advice on what the entitlement is and how to claim.

“It is available through the Independent Age website or by calling our free helpline on 0800 319 6789 to request a copy. Our helpline and advice team can also advise any older people who is unsure whether or not they could be eligible for the payment. 

“People currently receiving Attendance Allowance do not need to do anything and will be automatically transferred onto Pension Age Disability Payment by Social Security Scotland. They will continue to receive their payment uninterrupted”  

The payment replaces Attendance Allowance in Scotland.

The 150,000 older people in Scotland who receive Attendance Allowance will be automatically transferred onto Pension Age Disability Payment in a phased process.

Scots with disabilities & health conditions urged to apply for £5,740 from tomorrow

Scots with disabilities and health conditions are being urged to check if they’re eligible for financial support worth up to £5,740 a year. The advice comes from the UK’s largest community of unpaid carers ahead of the benefit being made available across Scotland next week.

Pension Age Disability Payment – a benefit aimed at helping disabled people above retirement age cover care costs –  is replacing Attendance Allowance in Scotland, with applications opening nationwide tomorrow – Tuesday 22nd April.

Pension Age Disability Payment rates also increased this month, but Scots are at risk of missing out.

Whilst those already claiming Attendance Allowance will automatically be transferred to the new support, an estimated 1 million people are missing out on the outgoing benefit. This puts Scots amongst this group at risk of losing out on Pension Age Disability Payment, too. 

The care experts at Mobilise aim to raise awareness of the disability benefit and the difference it could make for Scots missing out, if they check they are eligible and apply. 

What is the Pension Age Disability Payment?

Almost half (45%) of people above retirement age in the UK have some form of disability. Pension Age Disability Payment aims to help these individuals cover the cost of care.

The monthly payment is split into two rates, depending on the level of care which is required. Both rates increased on 7th April:

  • The lower rate (for those who require either day or night care) increased from £72.65 to £73.90 a week – £3,842.80 a year, in total
  • The higher rate (for those who require both day and night care, and those who are terminally ill) increased from £108.55 to £110.40 a week – £5,740.80 a year, in total

Who is eligible for Pension Age Disability Payment? 

To be eligible for Pension Age Disability Payments, you must meet certain criteria, including:

  • Be of state pension age (66) or over
  • Have a disability or health condition (you can still apply if you’re waiting for, or do not have, a diagnosis)
  • Have required care for at least six months (you can also apply before this point, as payments will begin six months from when successful applicants’ care needs started)

If you live in a care home and your care is funded by the local authority, you are unlikely to be eligible. However, if your care is privately funded, you may still apply. 

How to apply for Pension Age Disability Payment

From 22nd April, anyone who believes they are eligible for Pension Age Disability Payment can apply – either online using myaccount or via the post. Postal applications can be started by calling Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222. There is a separate fast-track application process for those who are terminally ill.

If you already receive Attendance Allowance you do not need to apply as you will automatically be moved to Pension Age Disability Payments.

There are two parts to the application form. You will need certain information to hand to complete each part and must submit these within 2 weeks and 8 weeks respectively, or contact Social Security Scotland if you need more time.

Details about the information required is available here. A loved one or carer can also help you complete the application form.

What support is available for carers?

It’s not just people that need care who are eligible for support. If you look after a loved one, you could also be entitled to help from the Government.

Carer Support Payment is the main benefit available to carers living in Scotland, and comes in the form of monthly payments. As with Pension Age Disability Payments, the rate increased this month. From April, Carer Support Payments are rising from £81.90 to £83.30 a week – £4331.60 a year, in total.

To be eligible for Carer Support Payment, you must meet a number of requirements. You can check if you’re eligible using Mobilise’s free claim checker tool. If you’re entitled to Carer Support Payment, you can apply online, by phone, by post, or in-person. See the Scottish Government’s website for full details.

For more guidance on the financial support available to people with care needs and unpaid carers, care experts are on hand to help via the Mobilise website.

Holyrood Minister attends Global Disability Summit in Berlin

Highlighting Scotland’s leading role at home and abroad

At the Global Disability Summit in Berlin today, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart will highlight Scotland’s commitment that by 2030 at least half of Scotland’s international development funding will include a disability equality objective.

This will ensure that disabled people have improved access to programmes in Scotland’s partner countries Malawi and Zambia – for instance giving disabled women and girls access to quality education.

The Equalities Minister will also take part in events focusing on disability equality and inclusion as well as meet with relevant Ministers and interest groups.

Ms Stewart said: “Scotland has a growing reputation at home and abroad for the action it’s taking to reduce the barriers disabled people face.

“This is the first time Scotland has been invited in its own right to the Global Disability Summit and this is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our culture of equality, particularly our focus on giving disabled people a voice in the decisions that affect them.

“Our work with our partner countries in Malawi and Zambia will be shared at the World Bank roundtable on inclusiveness in education. We will also highlight how Scotland is ensuring that marginalised groups, including disabled people, are at the heart of international climate action.

“However, I’m concerned that while the international picture is improving, the UK Government is going ahead with taking away disabled people’s benefits to balance the budget and plans to further reduce aid spending. We will continue to press them to reverse these damaging cuts.”

Global Disability Summit – 2nd – 3rd April, 2025 / Berlin

Celebrities urge government to rethink devastating cuts to disabled people’s social security 

  • High-profile names including Sir Stephen Fry, Stanley Tucci, Aisling Bea, Levi Roots, Guy Garvey, Dame Arlene Phillips, Charlotte Ritchie and Jed Mercurio have spoken out against the UK government’s proposals to slash financial support for disabled people. 
  • Comedian Rosie Jones: “Disabled people are scared of what the future holds”. 
  • Actor Brian Cox: “So many people having to turn to food banks is a stain on this country”. 
  • The comments come as new polling by Trussell reveals that 7 in 10 people think social security should at least pay for disabled people’s essential living costs. 
  • The anti-poverty charity has branded the cuts as ‘cruel, irresponsible and out of touch’ with what the public want 

Celebrities including Rosie Jones, Sir Stephen Fry and Stanley Tucci have united to express their outrage at the social security cuts announced on Wednesday, saying that they risk pushing even more disabled people to food banks. 

The UK government, who were elected on manifesto pledges to end the need for emergency food parcels and to make sure Universal Credit tackles poverty, has published proposals that will make it harder for disabled people to get the payments that help them cover additional costs that they face such as purchasing specialist equipment or travel to healthcare services. 

Comedian Rosie Jones, who has cerebral palsy, spoke out about the potential impact of these cuts, saying: “Disabled people are scared of what the future holds if there’s cuts to disability payments, as they are already not enough to cover life’s essentials. Disabled people are far more likely to need to use a food bank and further cuts will only deepen the hardship they are facing.”  

Polling done this week by Trussell, an anti-poverty charity which supports a community of 1,400 food banks, indicated that 60% of Brits think the UK government is ‘doing badly’ on reducing the number of people experiencing poverty across the UK. 

Actor Brian Cox, who experienced poverty as a child, urged the Government to rethink the plans when he said: “The fact that so many people are having to turn to food banks is a stain on this country.

“This government vowed to tackle the need for emergency food parcels in the UK, yet this decision risks even more people having to seek support. It makes no sense and will have a lasting impact on the lives of so many people already finding it difficult to afford life’s essentials.” 

Trussell has already expressed concern that the cuts will have a significant impact on people who are already facing hunger and hardship with 75% of people referred to one of their food banks living in a household where someone is disabled.  

Recent research by Trussell indicated that three quarters (77%) of people getting Universal Credit and health or disability payments are already having to go without essentials. Four in 10 (43%) are already missing meals to try and keep up with other essential costs. A fifth (19%) have had to turn to a food bank in just the last month. 

Calling for a reversal of the proposals, Sir Stephen Fry said: “Cuts should be for people who can best afford them, not for disabled people, who are amongst the most vulnerable and overlooked of all our population.

“The social security system should be rooted in justice and compassion, fairness and need. It’s not too late to rethink this.” 

The celebrities are not alone in thinking that government support should be enough to ensure that no one needs a food bank to survive. Trussell’s data shows that 83% of Brits think the Government is responsible for ensuring disabled people’s essential needs are met. 

Two of Trussell’s Ambassadors reflected this, adding their voices to the call for change by saying: 

  • Television writer Jed Mercurio: “While our social security system requires regular review and reform to ensure it targets people most in need, these cuts will only increase the likelihood of people living with a disability needing to use a food bank.” 
  • Entrepreneur Levi Roots: “From my work with Trussell, I know disabled people in receipt of Universal Credit are already having to make impossible decisions between feeding their children and heating their homes. We need compassionate solutions that make food banks obsolete. Cuts to disability payments will simply keep food banks in business for longer.” 

Actor Stanley Tucci has encouraged people to speak out about the risk of the cuts, saying: “It breaks my heart to know so many people in a country as wealthy and developed as UK are experiencing hunger.

“Through my work with Trussell, I know that the reality of these cuts will be parents in disabled families having to skip meals so that they can feed their children. Things don’t have to be this way. We must shout as loud as we can to let the UK government know this plan is wrong.” 

If you want to share your thoughts on the proposed cuts, you can email your MP via the Trussell website at https://action.trussell.org.uk/disability-cuts.