Welfare reforms risk forcing disabled people out of work, says UNISON
Government plans to cut a key benefit for disabled people could stop tens of thousands of workers from continuing in their jobs, says UNISON today (Wednesday).
A survey conducted by the union found three quarters (75%) of those in receipt of the personal independence payment, which helps disabled people with extra living costs, say losing it would affect their ability to work.
The findings, being launched at UNISON’s annual conference in Liverpool this week, show many people with disabilities rely on the payment to be able to work.
The reforms are part of the government’s welfare bill being published today.
In the survey of 3,000 members of the union, three in five (60%) said they spent the payment on travelling to their workplace. The same proportion (60%) said it covered treatments such as physiotherapy and counselling.
Two thirds (66%) used the money for food that can be easily prepared. Others used the cash to pay for medication, carers and cleaners.
Ministers say the reforms are necessary to get more people off benefits and into work. But the union says the current plans would actually have the opposite effect and force thousands of disabled people out of their jobs.
A nurse from Bristol said her payments help cover household bills after she had to slash her number work hours as a result of chronic-fatigue condition ME.
Without the personal independence payment, she said she would need to take on extra hours and most likely end up too sick to work at all.
An IT specialist from South Wales said the money helped him adapt his home and pay for essential physiotherapy sessions, without which he would be unable to work.
UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Going after the most vulnerable in society is in no one’s interests.
“Disabled people are not shirkers or scroungers. All too often they want to work and they rely on the social security system to give them the support to do so.
“Stopping people from working won’t grow the economy. If ministers really want to encourage more people back in to jobs, they need to make sure work pays.
“That means breaking down the barriers preventing disabled people from accessing work. And going after the employers paying poverty wages.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON surveyed 3,023 people in receipt of personal independence payments between 1 April and 15 June 2025.
– Case studies:
Louise is an arrhythmia specialist nurse from Bristol who puts the money towards covering her bills after she had to slash the hours she worked when she got sick with ME. She’s had to halve her weekly working hours from 30 to 15. Louise said: “If the payment is removed I’d have to work more hours. But if I did that it would make me too ill to continue in my job, and I’d end up on benefits.
“That would cost the state more than covering the personal independence payment.”
Gareth (not his real name) is an IT technical support worker from South Wales with multiple sclerosis. The payments help him to make adjustments to his home, as well as contributing to the cost of carers and physio sessions. He said: “Without the physio, I would seize up and struggle to work. Scrapping the payment will take away many disabled people’s independence.
“I’m lucky I can work from home, because using public transport is an absolute nightmare for wheelchair users. But it’s the personal independence payment that makes that possible.”
– Under the government’s proposals, assessments for the daily living part of the personal independence payment will be tightened. The Office for Budget Responsibility says this will affect around 800,000 people.
– UNISON’s annual conference is taking place this week at the ACC Liverpool. Further details can be found here. Issues being discussed throughout the week include the employment rights bill, apprenticeships, welfare reforms and migrant workers.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in the NHS, education, local government, the police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Dan Ashley M: 07789 518992 M E: d.ashley@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
The article Welfare reforms risk forcing disabled people out of work, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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