Really important High Court decision today, quashing a local authority’s council tax reduction scheme. The judgment contains many lessons about these schemes. Trafford's scheme was ultra vires, irrational, and unlawfully discriminatory, and breached the PSED @rightsnet.org.uk @nawra.bsky.social

Are out-of-work benefit claims at a record high? My new post open.substack.com/pub/inequali... , and also my take on More or Less this morning at www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Our Welfare Rights Conference is almost here! 📍 Manchester – 8th October 📍 London – 23rd October Spaces are limited, book now to secure your spot: bit.ly/4dH9gU8

Law Commission’s latest law reform programme will include project to outline legal framework for public sector automated-decision making: www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/68085

Cross-party commission urges UK government to scrap two-child benefit limit

'Artificial intelligence tools used by more than half of England’s councils are downplaying women’s physical and mental health issues and risk creating gender bias in care decisions, research [led by Sam Rickman, LSE] has found.' 1/2

New government data on the impact of the two child limit: 469,780 households now affected, with 1,665,540 children in those households Almost 40,000 more children affected since last year It's a child poverty machine & it will cost us all more in the long term - get rid of it

🚨🚨🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨🚨🚨 The United Nations is calling for the UK Government to stop the Universal Credit (PIP) Bill because it will 'deepen the signs of regression' in disabled people's human rights. tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/...

Updated #ChartOfTheDay: the UK sits just below the middle of the pack on social spending.   The UK spends ~23% of GDP on social protection according to the OECD. The DWP's lower figure of 10.8% only covers DWP benefits - not the NHS. Today’s chart uses the broader, more comparable OECD measure.

Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill 2024-25 - Progress of the bill https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10302/

Section 2 of the Bill still halves the LCWRA (‘health’) element of universal credit

I’m voting against disability benefit cuts because I oppose them, but the process by which this Bill is being rushed through without necessary information or adequate scrutiny, is reason enough for MPs to vote against it on Tuesday. This is not how we should make laws.

Today Govt confirmed changes it will make to planned cuts to disability benefits. But Govt will still ask MPs to vote for large, arbitrary cuts to disabled people’s incomes that will increase poverty. The Bill should be opposed. Here’s why. 1/7

More than 100 MPs sign Reasoned Amendment* declining to give a Second Reading to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/63537 * sponsored by the chairs of the Treasury, Work and Pensions, Education, Women and Equalities, and Housing Committees

(1/2) With a heavy heart, I have written to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as a whip. Whilst I will continue to support the government in delivering the change the country so desperately needs, I cannot vote in favour of the proposed reforms to disability benefits.

It was sobering to catch up with Debbie from St Ann's Advice Centre last week. We discussed the devasting impact that disability benefit cuts would have on our community. Hearing the harrowing stories of disabled service users underlined why these cuts must be opposed.

How we talk about our social security system matters. Words shape attitudes and attitudes shape policy. We can too easily inadvertently fuel misconceptions and shame. We're asking all MPs and journos to use @turn2us.org.uk's new 'talking about social security' guides, for a better conversation.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out plans to cut billions from health and disability benefits. Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty. Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)

“The illusion… - that there is no money, that inequality is inevitable, that even the worst suffering cannot be eased - disappeared in a puff of smoke.”

The Work and Pensions Committee has written to the Work and Pensions Secretary urging a pause to the proposed restrictions to PIP & UC health eligibility to allow independent assessments to be conducted on their impacts.

Third area is maintaining two child benefits cap. We know that overall voters are oppose removing the cap 36-49, but work we have done with @jrf-uk.bsky.social shows that voters views on the two child cap are not immutable - message testing shows attitudes can shift depending on case made.

Personal Independence Payment and disabled people https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cdp-2025-0091/

The announced changes to disability benefits will lead to very substantial falls in income for some families. While some families will gain a small amount from the changes, others will lose thousands of pounds a year.

New @neweconomics.bsky.social analysis challenges the government narrative that the rise in PIP claims is disproportionate We show that financial insecurity is driving a greater proportion of a growing population of disabled people to legitimately seek support www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Now updated with links to our summaries of the five research reports ...

No clear or obvious route to legally challenge the flagship elements of the government’s proposed health and disability benefit reforms @tomroyston.bsky.social @leigh-day.bsky.social www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62350

Today Amnesty International UK released a report exposing the brutal reality of the UK social security system that targets those already pushed to the margins. DR UK has authored the section on the impacts on the Disabled community. Please read & share widely! 👇 www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/so...

Any civil servant leading the reform of a complex public service should read this document from DWP, reflecting on the painful lessons learned implementing Universal Credit. data.parliament.uk/DepositedPap...

New @resfoundation.bsky.social‬ research out today assesses how the capital rules in Universal Credit are affecting recipients, where the system is falling short, and what can be done to improve it. Some key findings… ⬇️

Rather than make rushed cuts to welfare spending, there are plausible options to raise tax even with major tax increases off the table. A 2-year freeze extension to Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds would be broadly progressive & raise around £8bn.

Lib Dem MP Liz Jarvis asks disability minister Stephen Timms directly in the chamber to commit that those who cannot work because of their disability will not see their benefits cut. Timms won’t make that commitment but says current welfare system is failing.

The government is right to try to 'de-risk' the journey into work for people on incapacity benefits, through the kind of 'right to try' they are trailing today Taken along with the plans to improve employment support announced last year, it could have formed a transformative agenda But... 1/3

I wonder where Green Paper proposals will leave contributory ESA cESA is a non-means-tested, earnings-replacement benefit which in broad terms is for ill or disabled people with a recent work history At the moment, entitlement hinges on the work capability assessment

Yesterday, a Government press release claimed the number of people “considered too sick to work” had "quadrupled" since the pandemic (a "383% rise"). This is incorrect. In fact, it’s not even close. It's more like 40%. This thread explains why 🧵1/7

This, from a DWP press release yesterday (gov.uk/government/n...), is outrageous In two short paragraphs it peddles multiple falsehoods about the current system that will be used to justify upcoming cuts & changes Here's what MPs & journalists should be challenging... 🧵

The government wants to reduce welfare spending. What is the least-worst way to do this? I suggest four considerations: priority to those on the lowest incomes; avoiding concentrated losses; maintaining work incentives at the extensive margin; simplicity in implementation and reversal.

There are rumours that the Government is looking to cut the benefits bill as it tries to reduce public spending. But has there been a huge rise in welfare spending in recent years? A quick thread👇

What do we want to happen? 1/3 No evidence that cuts are justified - any cuts would only be about reducing cost. This will cause severe hardship for some disabled people, increase pressure on charities &other parts of the public sector, and not give people help they need to find & maintain work

Looking ahead to the disability benefits green paper, this essay for @citizensadvice.bsky.social makes the case for a system focused on improving health outcomes. Co-authors @maddyirose.bsky.social, @victoria-anns.bsky.social & Simon Collerton We challenge the 5 big falsehoods underpinning cuts…🧵

Labour’s reported disability benefit cuts are not just about budgeting but a belief: paid work is a virtue (and people who don’t perform it deserve a worse life than everyone else). My col. in tomorrow’s paper. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Starmer decries ‘worst of all worlds’ benefits systems ahead of deep cuts

Starmer has told Labour MPs that Britain’s benefits system is the “worst of all worlds”, with the numbers out of work or training “indefensible and unfair" as he prepares for deep cuts to disability payments. The numbers of young people out of work meant “a wasted generation.”

On this day 60 years ago, the first meeting of the group that established CPAG took place at Toynbee Hall We are working to prevent and end child poverty – for good.

Total social security spending rose by about 1% of GDP from the eve of the financial crash to 2024-25, driven by increases in spending on the State Pension and non-pensioner health-related benefits

OPEN FOR BOOKINGS... our annual Welfare Rights Conference returns to Glasgow on Thursday 19 June and we look forward to welcoming you! This event is always a popular event so book now to secure your place. More info and booking: cpag.org.uk/training-and... #welfarerights2025

Does cutting child benefits reduce fertility? My paper with Mary Reader & @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social (publication version, open access) link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Road Testing Child Benefit and Social Assistance Reforms: Critically analysing the trilemma between poverty reduction, public expenditure and work incentives: http://osf.io/pb2wz_v1/

Unambiguously clear from the UN #CESCR. The two-child limit and benefit cap should be reversed. There’s a lot more in the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ recommendations to the UK govt. Here’s my brief comment for @hrw.org in @mirror.co.uk www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

We’re extending sick pay to the lowest earners, the 1.3m workers currently entirely excluded from protection www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

‘Social security is the most effective policy lever for addressing child poverty.’