U-turn on PIP reforms - 4 point rule will only apply to new claims

[IShouldNotCoco]

https://news.sky.com/story/government-to-make-concessions-to-labour-rebels-over-welfare-reforms-sky-news-understands-13388797

I am having trouble keeping up with it all, at the moment.😕

What happens when current PIP recipients are reviewed? Will they then have to meet 4 points in a criteria?

The last thing I heard on this, is no, they won't. But don't take that as gospel.

Thank goodness? So it’s ok for new claimants to be unfairly treated, then?

One U turn is understandable , two are unfortunate, three is evidence of being weak and spineless!

Nonsensical idea and probably would be challenged in the court as discrimination...

Starmer and his team are utterly useless. They should withdraw the entire thing.

Doesn’t make sense does it? They are going to create a 2 tier PIP daily living system which will cause more resentment. They need to just drop the point change idea completely for everyone it’s ridiculous.

Discrimination is not illegal. It is only illegal if it is based a specified protected characteristics without good reason. There is no way this would stand any legal testing. You think they haven't thought of that?

I have long suspected that the proposed bill might have been a performative move to look like bringing something to the table, knowing that it probably isn’t going to happen for one reason or another.

I read an article saying apply before November or you lose out. I hope this doesn't go through. Nobody likes blatant unfairness. And this is a prime example.

This will impact my son. He turns 16 after this date and is on HRC and LRM DLA. He has pretty significant needs and has full time 1:1 at school. Won’t get the required points. Great to know Labour think that blocking his claim is fair.

I have had struggles sleeping about this. Just devastating.

This is unfair to me and feels the same as the child tax credits/universal credit two tier system whereby those on tax credits were a lot better off than those that by virtue of date of application could only apply for universal credit.

Write to your MP if you haven’t already. The idea that some people should have it and not others doesn’t make sense.

My mp is already a DLA rebel

Do you think they’ll switch with the concessions?

I suppose it’s hard to know for everyone

This lady is chronically ill and she also helps people with PIP claims. She is urging people not to fall for this ‘concession’ because face to face interviews where the rooms are set up to ‘zero’ everyone who can even walk in. Her videos are really useful because she understands how the points work. And people rarely receive points that match their actual condition (they always receive less).

I don’t know what you mean by no clarity? The fact the existing claimants will no longer be assessed under the “4 point” criteria at renewal IS the u-turn. Previously the new criteria would come into play for renewals AND new claimants after Nov 2026. Nothing was ever happening today or before Nov 2026.

Actually @Cabra1944 is correct - there is no clarity because few people are reading the small print. "Existing claimants will no longer be assessed under the “4 point” criteria at renewal IS the u-turn" - and it is, assuming this is agreed, for now. The small print on the offered U-turn says that ministers will undertake a review of how PIP is assessed, consulting with disability charities. Knock off those last four words ("consulting" does not mean "agreeing with" or "implementing their ideas or proposals") and you are left with "ministers will decide to change the way that assessments are conducted". It is not a U-turn. It is a mealy-mouthed concession of a temporary nature until they whip their troops into line. I understand that MP's are being told that they will be deselected before the next election if they do not back the government, and will never serve in any ministerial position. Someone I know, elected at the last election, was told that precise thing by Rachel Reeves two days ago. They will still be voting aganist the bill, because they now trust them even less than we do....

Edited - I should have added, remember that changing the way assessments are conducted does not require any legal changes or reference in any form to Parliament. It is an administrative matter.

Labour really seem to have tied themselves in knots over this.

It wasn't. Nobody would be daft enough to dream up this shit show unless they wanted to bring down the Labour Party, and right wing idiot that he is, even Starmer doesn't want to do that. He's the leader of it, and presiding over it's total collapse. Perverse that a Keir founded it and a Keir is killing it.

If it does do that someone could use that as a good book title. Keir to Keir which is quite amusing for some reason

There is clarity in regards to the “4 point” criteria in respect of new claimants and reviews. The proposal has now changed from new claimants and renewals after Nov 2026 being assessed under the new criteria, to just new claimants being assessed under the new criteria. The earliest existing claimants could ever have been impacted under the old proposal was at renewal or COC where their assessment date was on or after 1st November 2026.
The “consultation” isn’t a U-turn as there is no requirement to take on board anything that is said. It has just been added to lol something extra.

You have more trust in the government than I do then. Change the assessment process for everyone and the whole house of cards falls again. They have not promised anything at all that cannot be got around, and without parliamentary blessing. This has been a tried and tested technique of government for decades.