Last Updated July 2025

The UK Government had written a new plan called "Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working". Published on March 18, 2025, it talked about big changes to benefits for disabled people and people with long-term health problems. With your input we had just responded to this consultation  – raising many concerns about the proposals:

Read SMA UK’s response to the Consultation > 

Sir Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, announced that they will remove a controversial clause. This clause would have tightened eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).   

The government says these adjustments show they are listening. But patient and disability groups aren’t convinced. They argue the changes just delay or change how cuts are made. They worry this strategy will push many vulnerable people into deeper poverty.  

Sir Stephen Timms’s Announcement (July 1st): 

• Removal of Controversial PIP Clause: The most impactful part of his announcement was the decision to remove Clause 5 from the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. This clause contained the highly contentious proposal to require new PIP claimants to score a minimum of 4 points in at least one daily living activity. This was in addition to the overall 8 points, to qualify for the daily living component. 

• Delay of PIP Eligibility Changes: Timms stated that any future changes to PIP eligibility, activities, and descriptors would only occur after the conclusion of his wider review of the PIP assessment process. He emphasised that this “Timms Review” would be “co-produced” with disabled people and their organisations. He said it is not intended to save money, but rather to ensure the assessment is “fit for the future.” 

• Protection for Existing Claimants: He reiterated that existing PIP claimants will largely remain on the current system.  New eligibility rules would only applying to new claims from November 2026. This date is now effectively superseded by the review. 

• Universal Credit Adjustments: Timms also confirmed adjustments to Universal Credit rates. He stated that the health element for existing claimants would mean that their income would be protected in real terms. This would be the same for some new claimants with severe conditions. He also said that the standard allowance of UC would rise above inflation for the next four years. 

• “Right to Try”: The government is also pushing forward with a “Right to Try” guarantee. This will aim to give legal protection for disabled people to try work without fear of reassessment.

Remaining concerns: 

• Creation of a “Two-Tier System”: Advocacy groups continue to highlight that the reforms, even with the adjustments, will create a “two-tier” or even “three-tier” benefit system. Future disabled people will likely face significantly reduced support compared to current claimants. This will lead to “new and cruel inequality” and a future of poverty and hardship. 

• Impact on Universal Credit: The freezing and future reduction of the Universal Credit health element for many new claimants is a major point of contention. SMA UK and our partner disability-focused organisations argue that this fails to recognise the genuine extra costs associated with disability. It will push more disabled people into poverty. This will be especially those who rely on this support to live independently or even work. 

• Lack of Genuine Consultation: There is a lack of genuine co-production and consultation with disabled people and their organisations. Reforms have been driven by cost-cutting rather than by a desire to build a supportive and enabling welfare system. 

 We will endeavour to keep you updated…..

Last updated: July 2025

Contact is acting on the proposal to stop health payments (currently the LCWRA element) to young adults on Universal Credit until they turn 22.

This proposal means a huge drop in income of almost £100 per week for almost 110,000 young disabled adults, once they claim Universal Credit in their own right and stop being treated as a dependent child for benefit purposes. If this proposal goes ahead, it would push young disabled adults further away from employment and further into poverty.

Support their campaign and email your local MP > 

Last updated June 2025

Rumours about SEND reforms: Update from Disabled Children’s Partnership

There have been a number of stories in the press in recent weeks about the shape of proposed reforms to the special educational needs and disability system.  These have included suggestions that the government is intending to limit access to Education Health and Care Plans or to abolish them altogether – with similar rumours about the Tribunal.

We recognise that these stories will be extremely worrying to many parents and young people.  We have put out strong responses setting out our opposition to such changes.

However, it is important to recognise that these are – for the time being at least – just rumours and there have been no official announcements.  Moreover, if these changes were to be pursued, they could not happen overnight and would require changes to the law which would take time.  We hope this offers some reassurance, at least in the short term.

What we do know

The government has now confirmed that it will set out its plans for SEND reform as part of a wider schools “White Paper” in the autumn.

The government has set aside funding from its “Transformation Fund” for two years from next April to fund reforms.

The government has said that a key part of its reforms will be to make mainstream provision more inclusive, and it has committed £740million of capital funding for more specialist places in mainstream schools

What now?

We are pressing government to engage widely and meaningfully with families and young people – and experts in the sector – as it develops its plans. We will continue to speak up against suggestions that would remove or weaken rights and protections.

Fight for Ordinary Campaign

Children and young people with special educational needs want the same, ordinary things, that other children take for granted.

• A nursery, school or college place where they are happy, belong and can achieve
• The opportunity to make friends and take part in activities and clubs outside and after school
• The health and support they need, when they need it

Their parents want the same, ordinary, things as other parents.

• To get the support their children need without an unnecessary fight
• Not having to stop work or put careers on hold
• To have time for their own friends and their own interests

But this is not the reality of their lives.

We want to encourage the government to work with us, listen to us, and involve us in the big decisions.

Find out more and how to get involved >

Last updated: June 2025

The charity Contact has been working on this campaign since 2024. Now, thanks to funding from the Motability Foundation, they are campaigning to improve transport to school or college. They are:

• Reviewing local transport policies and see how they comply with the law.
• Conducting research on the issues faced by families, disabled children and young people.
• Together with families, identifying what can be done to influence change for the better.

As part of this, on  2nd June  a group of parent carers launched a ‘Close the Loophole’ campaign calling for a fairer transport system for disabled students aged 16 – 18.

They have written a letter to the School Ministers and are asking you to join them by adding your name to the letter.

Sign the letter >

Find our more about Contact’s School Transport Campaign >

Last updated: April 2025

In collaboration with Pro Bono Economics, the Children’s Charities Coalition has launched a new report on children’s services spending.

The analysis has revealed that, despite a small rise in the last three years, local authority spending on early intervention services in England has fallen by more than £2 billion since 2010/11.

This constitutes an overall drop of 42%, with spending per child having fallen by more than half. At the same time, local authority spending on residential care placements has continued to balloon.

Worryingly, this has disproportionately impacted the most deprived parts of the country, where spending per child has fallen by more than 50%, whilst the least deprived areas saw a drop of less than 30%.

The Children’s Charities Coalition is therefore urging the Chancellor to use the upcoming Spending Review to make serious long-term investment in children’s social care.

Doing so will allow local authorities to rebuild early intervention services and prevent more children and families from reaching crisis point.

Read the report: A long road to recovery >

October 2023: SMA UK’s Community Response to the Disability Action Plan 2023-4 Consultation  >