UK

Disabled People Go to Westminster to Say No to Welfare Cuts

HubMP2012

On 21st May 2025, disabled people from across the UK will be travelling to Westminster to tell their MPs to vote against the welfare cuts. Disabled people have been requesting meetings with their MPs and even for those without a pre-arranged meeting, will be available on 21st May from 1pm. The mass lobby has been co-ordinated by disabled activists from Disabled People Against Cuts, Disability Rights UK, Inclusion London, WellAdapt, Crips Against Cuts and the Coalition Against Benefit Cuts, to unite disabled people across the country. 

The proposals to change the criteria for Personal Independence Payments is estimated to result in 350,000 households being pushed into poverty, including 50,000 children. Shockingly, these changes are not being consulted on, meaning that this policy may be pushed through without any input from the disabled people it will affect. These proposals will also have an impact on carers, with 150,000 carers facing losing their carers allowance. 

Disabled people will be asking their MPs to vote against these cuts and stand against these poverty-creating policies. As cuts to PIP and changes to universal credit are not being consulted on, this is a vital opportunity for MPs to hear directly from their constituents. 

Labour MPs in particular are only too aware that the proposed cuts to PIP benefits cost Labour votes in the recent local elections. Former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP said: “The message to ministers is: drop the plans to attack the disabled.”

For many, this is not about electoral calculation. Referencing a recent Mirror report that the “DWP ‘could have prevented’ tragic deaths of benefit claimants, MPs’ report says”, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP tweeted: “The ultimate cost of the government’s disability benefit cuts will be counted in lost lives.”

Brian Leishman MP said: “A Labour government should lift people out of poverty, not push people into it. There are many Labour MPs who know this and are fully against the awful proposals to cut disability benefits. Please get in touch with your MP and let them know that these reforms must be stopped.”

Momentum said: “No words can take away how cruel and unnecessary these cuts are. Demonising the most vulnerable is a political choice. The Labour Leadership must change course immediately and reverse planned cuts to welfare.”

The lobby will be taking place in Westminster Hall on 21st May 2025, between 1-4pm. For more information, please see here and here.

In related news:

Liz Kendall refuses to apologise after misleading MPs four times in 23 minutes about PIP cuts

Parliament security confiscates ‘political’ book on DWP deaths from activists before PIP cuts debate

DWP must finally act on ‘deficient’ approach to safeguarding with a duty of care, say MPs

London theatre to host installation that exposes how DWP austerity measures led to countless deaths

More details from the Disability News Service 15th May.