Mon, 31 Mar 2025

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 Benefit changes could be 'life or death' - claimant

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out plans for changes to welfare in the Spring Statement on Wednesday.
A 28-year-old woman from Hampshire, who contracted Covid-19 four years ago and developed chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, said that her £400 monthly benefit is "a lifeline" that allows her to pay for taxis when she has to go out. Another claimant, a 24-year-old university student with an eye condition, described the assessment process as "difficult" and said that it feels like the government is trying to "catch you out". A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson claimed that all Personal Independent Payment (Pip) assessments are conducted "rigorously and professionally", but claimants dispute this. Around 800,000 people will be affected by tightened eligibility criteria for Pip, according to estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility.
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