Spring Statement 2025: Universal Credit and disability benefits shake-up confirmed

A huge shake-up to Universal Credit, the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments and a raft of other measures have been confirmed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in today's Spring Statement.

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Comments

  • My daughter is on PIP and a legacy benefit, ESA.  There has been mention of her moving on to UC in the past but nothing has happened.  If she is moved to UC after April 2026, I presume she will count as a new claimant and lose £200 per month?  She has a moderate learning disability and autism and would never be able to work/travel without 1:1 support.
  • chrisw
    chrisw Posts: 3,742 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Has has anyone seen anything regarding those on existing PIP? Will there be an early reassessment or will the new eligibility criteria kick in when it's up for renewal?
  • HillStreetBlues
    HillStreetBlues Posts: 5,523 Forumite
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    My daughter is on PIP and a legacy benefit, ESA.  There has been mention of her moving on to UC in the past but nothing has happened.  If she is moved to UC after April 2026, I presume she will count as a new claimant and lose £200 per month?  She has a moderate learning disability and autism and would never be able to work/travel without 1:1 support.
    If she is on Income related ESA she will migrate by March 2026
    Let's Be Careful Out There
  • HillStreetBlues
    HillStreetBlues Posts: 5,523 Forumite
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    chrisw said:
    Has has anyone seen anything regarding those on existing PIP? Will there be an early reassessment or will the new eligibility criteria kick in when it's up for renewal?
    Renewal, and nothing said so far about early reassessment
    Let's Be Careful Out There
  • Newcad
    Newcad Posts: 1,588 Forumite
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    I'm slightly puzzled here.
    How does this thread - started by an MSE staffer - fit in with the standard 'please avoid political debate' statement at the top of threads?
    To me it appears to be a direct invitation to engage in political debate.
    So should the standard note at the top be altered to add > "please avoid ..... unless we ask you for such political debate" ?
  • HillStreetBlues
    HillStreetBlues Posts: 5,523 Forumite
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    edited 26 March at 6:13PM
    Newcad said:
    I'm slightly puzzled here.
    How does this thread - started by an MSE staffer - fit in with the standard 'please avoid political debate' statement at the top of threads?
    To me it appears to be a direct invitation to engage in political debate.
    So should the standard note at the top be altered to add > "please avoid ..... unless we ask you for such political debate" ?
    For this case I believe it's how the announced policies could affect people, rather than the rights or wrongs of said policy. This issue will always be there will be comments about the policy at some point.
    Let's Be Careful Out There
  • HillStreetBlues
    HillStreetBlues Posts: 5,523 Forumite
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    To get the main component of PIP, which is for extra daily living costs, you currently need between eight and 12 points in total (alongside meeting the other criteria).
    That needs rewording.
    There isn't a "main" component, the wording would tend to discriminate against those who only receive the Mobility component.
    Also it would be 8 points or more as how it's currently written someone with 13 or more points wouldn't receive anything.
    Let's Be Careful Out There
  • Newcad
    Newcad Posts: 1,588 Forumite
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    There is a lot of misleading wording in the government statement today.
    You might think it was even intentional to try and confuse things. (and confuse people).
    PS. I still believe there is a possible double standard going on here with 'political comment' but probably not worth making too much of a fuss about. (Being a forum moderator myself I know it will now be being discussed 'backstage').
  • HillStreetBlues
    HillStreetBlues Posts: 5,523 Forumite
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    I do think it's an important topic as (without commenting on the rights or wrongs) these policies are forecasted to leave an extra 250,000 in relative poverty.
    Also these polices are nearly (96%) all about reducing income from disabled people (again not commenting on the rights or wrongs).
    Let's Be Careful Out There
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 19,429 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fifth Anniversary Name Dropper
    To me the statement today was just a echo of the other day, with noting stated that had already not been.

    So we are left with the same old question & no answers.🤷‍♀️

    Time will tell, & pointless worrying.
    Life in the slow lane
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