The Government’s U-turn on PIP Cuts Is Welcome - But It Should Never Have Come to This

By Harry Georgiou, Disability Advocate and PIP Recipient in Work

The government’s recent decision to reverse its proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is, without question, a step in the right direction. For many, it has come as a huge relief. But relief alone isn’t enough. We must take a hard look at how we even got to this point, and what happens next.

The very fact that this policy was considered, and publicly announced, caused widespread panic, stress, and deep anxiety among disabled people across the UK.

Some individuals, already living in extremely vulnerable circumstances, were pushed beyond their limit. Lives have been lost. That’s not political rhetoric. It’s reality. This is the cost of policy decisions made without care or consultation.

We must ask ourselves: how did we allow things to get so bad that disabled people felt abandoned by the very system designed to support them?

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a non-means-tested benefit that helps people with the additional costs of living with a long-term disability or health condition. It has two components:

•     Daily Living, for support with tasks like washing, dressing, preparing food, or communicating.

•     Mobility, for those who face challenges with getting around.

Each component has two levels: standard and enhanced, depending on the individual’s level of need.

PIP is not an unemployment benefit, it is entirely separate from whether someone is working. You can receive PIP and be employed, something that I’m proud to say that I do, as it helps cover things like transport, therapy, medical equipment, and extra support. Without it, many disabled people would be unable to live independently or access basic necessities.

While this U-turn protects existing claimants, questions remain about those currently applying, low-income workers like cleaners or carers, will they be protected?  

What happens when people like me have to renew our PIP claims? Will the proposed cuts return in a different form?

These are not minor concerns. For many disabled people, every PIP review brings a wave of uncertainty and fear. A policy reversal does not erase the anxiety already caused, nor does it guarantee we won’t face similar threats again.

Let’s not forget how this unfolded: a major policy shift was announced, with no proper consultation, no involvement of disabled people, and no consideration of the impact. Only after public outcry did the government step back.

This isn’t good governance. It’s damage control.

Disabled people deserve to be involved in every stage of policymaking, and not treated as an afterthought once harm has already been done. The slogan “Nothing About Us Without Us” must stop being a catchphrase and start being the foundation of how decisions are made.

This reversal happened because disabled people, and those who care about us, stood up and spoke out. We mobilised. We raised our voices. We refused to be ignored.

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But the fact we had to do this in the first place shows how far we still have to go.

I work. I contribute. And I also receive PIP because I need it to manage the additional costs of living with my condition. That doesn’t make me less valuable, it simply makes me human.

Disabled people aren’t burdens. We aren’t invisible. We are strong, proud, capable individuals. We exist in every community, in every job sector, and in every part of society. We are not going anywhere.

And we will keep fighting for a system that treats us with dignity, not suspicion.

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Author’s Note

These views are entirely my own. They do not reflect the opinions of any organisation I am part of and are shared in a personal capacity.