“We must invest in people’s ability to live, not punish them for needing help.”
By Imran Hussain MP
Personal Independence Payment is a vital source of support that thousands of my constituents rely on to live with dignity, independence and stability.
These reforms come at a time when disabled people are already facing growing pressures. From rising costs to long NHS waits, support is being stretched. We must ensure any changes to PIP are driven by fairness, not cost-cutting.
PIP exists to support dignity, not deliver cuts. But under these new proposals, nearly 9 in 10 standard-rate PIP claimants could lose out. That is absolutely devastating in scope and impact. This isn’t reform—it’s a targeted cut on those who need support most. The Government’s own estimates show 250,000 people pushed into poverty.
That’s a quarter of a million lives impacted overnight by a policy choice we should reject outright. It is absolutely indefensible, and it will drive more disabled people into poverty, further strain public health, and leave those with the greatest need behind. We should be helping those with the greatest needs in our society, not abandoning them.
This is not about simplifying the system. The “4-point rule” is a cruel test dressed up as reform. It means people with complex, overlapping needs—who score a few points in many areas—could be cut off. These are real people: with anxiety, chronic pain, or fluctuating conditions. If they don’t tick a box, they don’t get help. This system should protect, not punish.
If funding is the issue, there are better answers. A 2% tax on wealth above £10 million would raise £24 billion a year—over five times what the DWP hopes to save. Let’s be honest: this is not about sustainability. It’s about a political choice that will impact those with the least. We cannot build a fairer Britain by weakening the very foundation that protects our most vulnerable.
I cannot, in good conscience, support this. This is a moral line we must not cross. Instead of slashing support, we need to work with disabled people, not against them. Let’s reform for dignity, not for short-term savings. We must invest in people’s ability to live, not punish them for needing help. Anything less is a betrayal of what our welfare state is supposed to stand for.
- Imran Hussain MP is the MP for Bradford East, you can follow him on Facebook, Twitter/X and TikTok.
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