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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 4

Cutting the UC health element is unlikely to incentivise disabled people to work.

But, there are other ways the government could improve work incentives within the benefits system and reduce barriers to work. My colleague @jagnaolejniczak.bsky.social has written a great report on that here:

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

Read more in our report ⬇️
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Not so Universal: the two-tiered health element. How the Universal Credit Bill will create a two-tiered system for disabled people.

Briefing by Victoria Anns on how the Universal Credit Bill will create a two-tiered system for disabled people.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

We're calling on the government to:
❌ Delay the cuts until a real assessment of the policy has taken place
📋 Provide greater clarity and legal protections within the severe conditions criteria
🤝 Ensure that future reforms of disability benefits involve proper consultation with disabled people

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

To sum up: The UC bill will have far reaching consequences, many of which haven’t been properly debated or understood.

What’s clear is that cutting UC health is going to hurt disabled people - at a time when disabled people are already struggling to make ends meet.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

Who will be impacted by the cuts to UC health?

⏱️ People who become disabled after the cut-off point
🤒 People whose condition worsens over time
📩 People who lose UC health and have to reapply
🔞 Disabled children who become adults

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

We’re also concerned that people with severe, life-long conditions might miss out on protections.

📝The legal wording of the bill restricts the criteria - so people with fluctuating conditions or a private medical diagnosis might not be eligible. This is problematic.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

The government argues that cutting UC health will incentivise people to work. But this unlikely...

♿ People on UC health have work-limiting conditions
🏢 There are limited accessible jobs
🎫 Being on UC health gives access to one of the most work-supporting benefits (the work allowance)

Two line charts showing net income, earnings from work and UC total for somebody age 25 or over working at the National Living Wage, with or without a UC health award.
The graphs show that a disabled person who is paid the National Living Wage and gets housing support on Universal Credit, could work for 4 hours per week without seeing their UC payments reduced. This means that if they work 16 hours per week, they’re £649.32 better off than somebody who doesn’t get UC health.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

Increases to the UC standard allowance aren’t doing enough to offset the cuts either.

Over the first year, a single person over the age of 25 on UC will gain just £364, while new claimants will lose out on £2,472 because of the cut to UC health.

This isn't a 'rebalancing' of the UC award.

Bar chart showing the annual change in benefit rates for new claimants between 2025/26 and 2026/27. Over the first year, a single person over the age of 25 on UC will gain just £364, while new claimants will lose out on £2,472 because of the cut to UC health.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

Cuts to disability benefits matter. Disabled people are already struggling to afford their essentials and avoid debt.

In 2024 alone, we helped 110,000 disabled people and people with long-term health conditions access crisis support 📈

That’s an average of more than 400 people every working day.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

From April 2026, the Universal Credit health element will be cut almost in half and then frozen. Almost three quarters of a million people will lose out on £3,000 a year.

This will create a two-tiered system of support and disabled people will suffer.

Line graph showing the predicted annual UC award for people on the original and reduced rates of UC health. It shows the lines diverging from 2026/27 onwards, with new claimants getting about £2,500 less per year.

According to the Bank of England predictions for CPI, by 2028/29 the combined annual value of the standard allowance and UC health will be £10,672 for protected claimants and £8,119 for new claimants.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Sep 2

Cuts to disability benefits weren’t totally averted!

🚨New report out today explaining why the Universal Credit Bill will harm disabled people and exploring who will be impacted by the cuts.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Not so Universal: the two-tiered health element. How the Universal Credit Bill will create a two-tiered system for disabled people.

Briefing by Victoria Anns on how the Universal Credit Bill will create a two-tiered system for disabled people.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Aug 12

It says 'page not found' when I click the link

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jul 8

We're still asking MPs to vote against the disability cuts bill tomorrow.

New blog explaining why is out now:
wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/3-reasons-wh...

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Reposted by Victoria Anns

Laura Hutchinson 🌸 @lauralhutch.bsky.social · Jul 1

Anti poverty organisations all unanimously urging MPs to vote against the UCPIP Bill this afternoon, and calling on the government to carry out proper reviews and consultation before legislating.

This is too important to vote through on an act of faith.

www.ucpipbill.co.uk/wp-content/u...

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jul 1

Great breakdown from Craig explaining why the UCPIP bill is still a bad idea.

When thinking about the government's disability plans, one word springs to mind: chaos.

Craig Berry @craigpberry.bsky.social · Jun 30

A long thread on why the concessions in and around the UCPIP Bill (ie the disability benefits cuts) are illusory, disingenuous and potentially makes things worse 🧵

There are 5 big myths to bust -fifth is the most difficult to untangle, but the most significant in my view, so please do bear with 🙂

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Reposted by Victoria Anns

Tom MacInnes @tommacinnes.bsky.social · Jun 27

After all the rumours we now know what's in the amendment. From November next year, new claimants who need help to cut up food, dress, wash, or use the toilet would be denied the lifeline that PIP provides. For young disabled people and people who become disabled in the future, it is utterly bleak

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 27

I think everyone would agree that eligibility to disability benefits should be decided based on need.

The government's concessions further erode this principle.

The 4 point rule is arbitrary. Restricting UC health based on age is unfair. And creating a 2-tiered dis ben system is unjustifiable.

Laura Hutchinson 🌸 @lauralhutch.bsky.social · Jun 27

Changes to UCPIP bill are result of campaigners & disabled people speaking out about the profound harm the govt was about to inflict.

However, the bill remains illogical & inherently unfair.

The govt should pause & come back with meaningful reform if serious about “fixing the foundations”.

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Reposted by Victoria Anns

Kate Harrison @kslharrison.bsky.social · Jun 27

The government's concessions on disability benefits cuts are a good start but do nothing to help those who will need disability benefits in the future. Anyone can become disabled at any time and future claimants are no less deserving of support than existing claimants

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 26

Chaminda is correct. See for example Activity 1: preparing food. Even if you can't do b, c or d, you will only score 2 points - they aren't added together.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 26

To hear more insights from the people we help, as well as a panel of experts, join us this afternoon at our Data Insights event 🎫

You can sign up here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/citizens-a...

Citizens Advice Data Insights: Spotlight on Disability

Join us as we examine how cuts to disability benefits are expected to pull hundreds of thousands of disabled people into poverty.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 26

Anita isn’t alone.

At least 3.2 million families will be worse off by 2029/30 if the cuts go ahead. Many will face additional losses as passported benefits are affected.

That’s why we’re calling on MPs to vote against the UC&PIP bill. medium.com/citizens-adv...

Why we’re asking MPs to vote against the bill to cut disability benefits

Today, the government laid its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill before parliament. It details plans to cut billions…

medium.com

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 26

But, if the disability cuts go ahead, we expect Anita to lose her PIP daily living entitlement. And as a knock on impact, also lose her UC health.

Even with an uplift to UC standard allowance, she’ll lose £678 each month and be plunged into poverty.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 26

Right now, Anita can make ends meet. She gets UC (incl UC health) and PIP because she can’t work due to her physical and mental health conditions.

With £152 left over each month after paying for essentials, she can afford aids and taxis to help her manage.

The graph shows Anita's income and outgoings. Her income is made up of Universal Credit and PIP. She pays for rent, utilities and council tax, household and groceries, transport, tv, mobile, internet and personal costs. She has £152 remaining budget after subtracting the expenditure from the income.

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Victoria Anns @victoria-anns.bsky.social · Jun 26

How will the proposed disability benefit cuts impact disabled people? Today we’re sharing the story of one of the people we’ve helped: Anita*.

The cuts could mean she loses over £8k per year (43% of her income)❗

New blog out now: medium.com/p/1ab8959922a1

Anita’s story

How cuts to disability benefits could impact millions

medium.com

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Reposted by Victoria Anns

Maddy Rose @maddyirose.bsky.social · Jun 24

UC & PIP bill proposes the biggest cuts to disability benefits since OBR was created. It would:
✂️cut benefits for 3.2m disabled ppl
📈Push 300,000-400,000 into poverty, including 50,000 children
📈 Drive 440,000 into severe hardship

New joint briefing: www.ucpipbill.co.uk

Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill -

On Tuesday 1st July, MPs will be asked to vote on the UC & PIP Bill, which contains the biggest cuts to social security in a decade. This briefing from ten organisations including Scope, Citizens Advi...

www.ucpipbill.co.uk

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