Plans to move under-25s off the main sickness and disability benefits have sparked outrage among disabled people, who warn the cuts would push young people further into poverty. The proposal is expected to feature in a report by Alan Milburn, a former Labour health secretary, aimed at reducing the number of 16 to 24 year-olds in the UK who are not in education, employment or training, known as 'NEET'.
Under the plans, disabled young people would receive the same basic rate as Universal Credit claimants, with a vague mention of an 'additional cost allowance'. The report is expected to say that under-25s should no longer be able to claim benefits such as personal independence payment (PIP).
A Personal Account of PIP's Importance
Dayna Latham, a freelance journalist who has relied on these benefits from a young age, described the news as upsetting. Her health began to deteriorate in her mid teens, and by the time she turned 20 in 2016, she was entirely reliant on her partner as a carer to wash her hair, help her bathe, cook her meals, and escort her to medical appointments.
Over the past 15 years, Latham has received diagnoses of hypermobile-Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Scoliosis, Endometriosis, C-PTSD, ADHD, and Autism. She applied for PIP at age 22, which she credits with saving her. Now 30, she works when her health allows, has a child, and has undergone nearly every medical intervention available to her both on and off the NHS over the past decade.
Latham stated that if she had been refused access to disability benefits as a young adult, her physical health would have only continued to worsen, and her battle with her mental health would have been lost entirely. She believes she would not be alive today without the help she received.
Financial Support Enables Work and Independence
PIP and the health element of Universal Credit provide Latham with the financial independence to cover unavoidable extra transport costs, energy costs, childcare costs, private prescription costs, physiotherapy costs, cleaning costs, and accessibility aids. This support allows not only her but also her partner to work.
Milburn acknowledged that his plans would not be 'pain-free'. Latham argues that cutting benefits to disabled people is painful and ignores the stories of those who rely on them. She notes that it is getting harder to access services disabled people rely on, such as SEND provisions in schools, access to testing and diagnostic assessment on the NHS, long term physical treatments, Access to Work Scheme funding and therapies.
Economic and Social Impact of Proposed Cuts
Milburn himself points out that 19% of young people on disability benefits are currently in work. Latham argues that if they no longer have financial assistance to access support, this number is almost guaranteed to drop further. She describes it as fiscally illogical to cut support for young disabled people if the goal is for them to contribute to the economy.
While Milburn has attempted to reassure that the 'most severely disabled' young people will receive an additional payment, no detail is yet available on who will qualify as 'disabled enough', how much it will be, how this will be decided, or if the people making that decision will be medically qualified.
Disability charity Scope estimates that the average added cost of disability is expected to reach over £1,200 a month over the next few years, while PIP is capped at a maximum of £778.40 and the health element of Universal Credit is capped at £429.80. As a result, 32% of disabled people live in poverty, compared to 20% of non-disabled people.
