Millions of seriously ill and disabled people making new claims will have their benefits cut if the government thinks their situation can improve, charities have said.
In April, the health element of Universal Credit – an extra payment for people found too unwell to work or prepare for work – will be halved to £50 a week and stopped for new claimants unless their condition is found to be terminal or severe and lifelong with no prospect of improvement.
ministers had Pledged last summer That “severe and lifelong” clause – known as the critical condition criteria – would protect the most seriously disabled and ill people from new lower benefit rates.
But charities and disabled people’s organizations (DPOs) have told the Guardian that a range of debilitating conditions may often leave a person unable to work, despite not meeting the strict eligibility criteria. This includes Multiple Sclerosis, Learning Disabilities, Bipolar, Parkinson’s, ME and Long Covid.
Samuel Thomas, a senior policy adviser at anti-poverty charity Z2K, said: “Cuts to the health element of Universal Credit risk pushing some of the country’s most seriously ill and disabled people to the brink. Higher rates of support will only be available to (new claimants) whose condition is lifelong and shows no prospect of improvement.
“That rigorous testing may exclude people who have had a stroke or heart attack, or people with conditions such as cancer or schizophrenia. Chronically ill and disabled people who have suffered significant hardship for years are at risk of being left at a lower rate, because recovery, whether partial or distant, cannot be ruled out.”
Ella Smith, welfare rights policy lead at the ME Association, said: “The government says it is protecting people with the most serious conditions, but in reality, it actively excludes a group of seriously ill and disabled people.
“The fact that there may be improvement at some point in the future should not be used to reduce the support needed today. Reevaluation already exists if one’s condition actually improves. Rating people lower simply because they may hypothetically recover later turns the continued struggle with unpredictable circumstances into an additional cruel punishment.”
government data It is estimated that by 2029–30, 730,000 future recipients of Universal Credit will miss out on the higher rate, losing an average of £3,000 per year.
While a Labor backbench rebellion last summer blocked proposed Personal Freedom Payment reforms, MPs voted to press ahead with changes to Universal Credit. Under the changes, existing claimants will continue to receive £97 a week, whether their disability is considered lifelong or not.
James Taylor, director of strategy at Scope, said: “Essentially, we will have a two-tier universal credit system. Two people with the same condition and the same additional costs will get different amounts. The serious conditions criteria are designed to protect some new claimants, but it could add another level of danger for disabled people. There is a risk that some conditions may not be judged as ‘serious’ and assessors may inconsistently apply the new criteria to a new category. Interpret and apply.”
There are concerns among charities that to qualify for the higher “severity” payments, new claimants will have to provide extensive medical evidence from the NHS. This may be difficult for some conditions, especially at a time when waiting lists are still long.
Hannah Nicholls-Harrison, policy manager at Mencap, said the rule could mean a significant number of new Universal Credit claimants with learning disabilities would be denied support.
“Many people struggle to receive a formal diagnosis of a learning disability due to the lack of clear pathways into the NHS,” he said. “For people with learning disabilities who don’t have that level of documentation, or who don’t have the support to navigate a complex system and advocate for themselves, it will mean they lose (thousands of pounds) a year.”
A number of charities and DPOs said they were concerned that lower benefit rates would push already struggling disabled people further into poverty and, in some cases, “disastrous” conditions.
Thomas said: “The human cost is enormous. Families who lose this vital income could face eviction, go without food and heating, and lose access to the care they depend on.”
Tom Pollard, head of policy at Mind, said: “(The Government) protecting the higher rate of payment for people who meet the criteria for serious conditions is a recognition that the lower rate is not good enough for those who are out of work for longer periods.
“Many people with serious and long-term mental health diagnoses, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, may not meet these criteria, despite the impairments and barriers that will often keep them out of work for long periods of their lives.”
A DWP spokesperson said the government is committed to supporting vulnerable people. He added: “Under the grave circumstances criteria, claimants are assessed not on the basis of their condition, but on how it impacts them, with the criteria intended to protect those who are not expected to be able to work because of a serious lifelong health condition or disability that is unlikely to improve.
“Those with the most serious, lifelong conditions, those nearing the end of life, and all existing Universal Credit health claimants will continue to receive higher rates.”
