Changes to benefits

We know that a lot of families we support are really worried about benefits changes and what they might mean for their relative.  

On Tuesday 18th March 2025 the Government announced significant changes to disability benefits which will affect who is eligible. These will have a significant impact on many disabled people but the biggest changes do not look likely to negatively affect people with a severe learning disability. 

From the information available at present it looks like people with a severe learning disability will remain eligible for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and are also likely to qualify for an additional premium to the health component of Universal Credit for severely disabled people.  

We have put together a summary of the changes, what they mean for people with a severe learning disability, and what the timescales for these changes are. There are also links to responses and resources from other organisations that might help you.

You can read our summary here

The changes are set out in a Green Paper called Pathways to Work.  A Green Paper means that these are drafts and might change. Some of the proposals are being consulted on. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation will respond and you can see how to respond yourself here. We will follow these reforms closely as more information is shared. 

A coalition of charities led by Scope have written an open letter to the Chancellor. You can read the letter and sign it here. 

Inclusion London have produced an automatic form for people to write to their MP about these proposed changes. There are different forms for if you are a disabled person or a family carer, and for if you are an ally, professional, or someone else who wants to advocate against these cuts. You can find this here. 

Mencap have easy read information and further details about the timescales involved here. 

Access All have produced an episode on the benefit reforms which you can listen to here.