#Benefits and Work #UniversalCreditBill

Caroline Stephens
Jul 24
14 min read

Benefits and Work

Join Our Community

You are here:

Home

News

Latest on UC and PIP bill as Labour gets through third reading

News

Latest on UC and PIP bill as Labour gets through third reading

Published: 10 July 2025

The Labour government has got its severely weakened welfare bill through its third reading without further defeats, after the major concessions made before and during the second reading.

The bill passed its third reading by 336 votes to 242.

47 Labour MPs voted against the bill at third reading, 333 Labour MPs voted in favour, along with 3 independents.

This compares with the second reading, where 49 Labour MPs voted against.

Readers will be well aware of the dramatic scenes during the second reading of what was then the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment bill, when Labour was forced to abandon the PIP 4-point rule entirely in order to avoid defeat.

There were no such scenes on this occasion. The chamber was largely empty as the amendments were debated, only filling up for the votes. All the government amendments to the bill, including the promise to remove clause 5, the 4-point rule clause, were agreed.

Every non-government amendment failed, except for one relating to co-production of the Timms review, which was withdrawn after concessions from the government – see Timms review below.

Bill title

The short title of the bill has been changed from the “Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill” to the “Universal Credit Bill”, reflecting the fact that the bill no longer has anything to do with PIP.

PIP

Personal independence payment (PIP) is no longer affected by the bill in any way, either for existing claimants or new claimants. The 4-point rule has been entirely abandoned.

There will be no changes to PIP until after the Timms review has been completed, currently expected to be in Autumn 2026.

Universal Credit

New universal credit (UC) health element claimants from April 2026 will have their UC health element almost halved and frozen.

Existing UC LCWRA claimants will not be affected by the cut or the freeze. New claimants who meet the severe conditions criteria or who are terminally ill will also be protected from the cut and the freeze.

The standard rate of UC will rise by 4.5% above inflation by 2029/30.

Severe conditions criteria

There have been no changes to the extremely hard to meet severe conditions criteria as set out in the bill. These will come into force for new claims in April 2026 and will decide whether claimants receive the higher rate of the UC health element and whether they are subject to reassessment..

Timms did seek to reassure MPs claiming:

"The severe conditions criteria in the bill exactly reflects how the functional tests are applied at present. That is in guidance. It’s being moved in this bill into legislation. It does take account of Parkinson’s. It does take account of MS. Because people need to meet the descriptors reliably, safely, repeatedly and in a reasonable time frame. And so I can give a very firm assurance to those who are concerned about how the severe conditions criteria will work for those on fluctuating conditions.

"The word constantly here refers, as I said in my intervention earlier, to the functional criteria needing to apply at all times, not to somebody’s symptoms."

We consider this reassurance to be disingenuous. We’ll be writing more about this in the near future.

Timms review

The Timms review is not part of the bill. However, Labour MP Dr Marie Tidball sought to insert a new clause into the bill relating to co-production of the review. Dr Tidball did not put forward the clause for a vote after receiving reassurances from Timms at the end of the debate.

Timms called the new clause a “helpful checklist” and said that the government would "closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities in carrying out the review."

He also said "I accept the proposal in section 4 of her new clause for a group to co-produce the review. Not so much to provide independent oversight as to lead and deliver it . . . I agree with her that the majority of group member need to be disabled people or representatives of disabled people's organisations and that they need to be provided with adequate support, including towards their cost of travel and taking part. . . The outcome of the review will be central to the legislation that follows"

The Timms review is still expected to report in Autumn 2026.

Everything else

The bill only covers those three issues. Every other proposal, such as the abolition of the WCA, the proposal to amalgamate contributory ESA and JSA into a single time limited contributory benefit and not paying 18-21 year old PIP recipients the health element of UC is not affected by last night’s vote. They will all require separate legislation of their own.

What happens next

At the time of writing we do not know if the bill has been certified as a money bill. If it has not, then it will go to the Lords who can put forward amendments in the normal way.

If it is a money bill, it will still go to the House of Lords, but this is a formality. In theory, the Lords can suggest amendments but, because it is a money bill, the government are free to simply ignore them. After one month the bill as currently written will become law.

The changes in the bill, however, will not come into force until April 2026.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Share

Comments

32 Comments Terms RSSRegister

Newest

Collapse All

Write comments...

People in conversation:

Wiggles adrian Cuckoo21 janerg63 pollenpath HL clearwater MJ SimonC

Jill A

Jill A 7 days ago

Are migrating UC claims counted as new claims.

3 Up Down Reply Share

Ms Brainfog

Ms Brainfog 7 days ago

I don’t understand any of it!! I’m not thick, but I’m very overwhelmed! I feel like crying… I first claimed back in approximately 2009; I was on Incapacity Benefit, I was then swapped to ESA and put into the support group, income based! Is that right? (Unfit and Unable to work). I have remained in this group for all this time, even though I moved in with someone who was also on ESA, back in 2017! We informed the DWP, refilled out our forms and we were told it was a couples claim, he was IR, income related. They have paid us separately ever since. We have checked with them regularly over the years to make sure that this is still correct, they have assured this is correct. Other services have told us we were missing out on UC, as I had a then 9 y/o child; UC was not rolled out in our area, and as such still isn’t! My child has now just turned 18, and for those 9 years has been an unpaid part-time child carer; we have never received any UC, and still haven’t received any forms to migrate onto this benefit. We are both in receipt of PIP; my partner has progressive MS, diagnosed in 2011, I have multiple illnesses, but predominantly issues with mobility due to severe disc problems, CRPS, fibromyalgia, which was diagnosed in 2009, plus numerous other conditions which affect my immune system. My point is, how is all this change going to affect us? Should we have been changed over to UC by now? Should we have been receiving extra money for my child for those 9 years that I was not given UC, if so would I be able to claim that back? Why wasn’t I allowed UC? If and when we do get put on to UC, will we actually receive more benefit, or will it remain the same? I am not being a benefit scrounger here, I am just about to turn 55, and my partner is 54. We aren’t benefit scroungers who are playing the system; we both worked hard all our lives prior to becoming unable to. I worked in the healthcare sector, and he worked in the motor industry, vehicle engineer they call it now, otherwise known as a mechanic. The amount we receive is about manageable, but we do have any ‘perks’ in life. Never had a holiday, neither of us drink or smoke and we have supported ‘our’ child, as parents do, but without any further help that we were told we should/should’ve had. We just don’t know what is going to happened to us, and our PIP/ESA benefits. I hope someone can understand my garbled ramblings

1 Up Down Reply Share

Lee M.

Lee M. 7 days ago

In which universe is this a 'money bill'? And when did politicians have the right to circumvent Parliament in order to force through otherwise dodgy legislation? Goodbye democracy, you were a good and useful ally 😔

4 Up Down Reply Share

AE 7 days ago

Do does this mean that the announcement of people on PIP currently will still get it indefinitely or does it mean it goes back to previous rules?

Up Down Reply Share

Melvin Hurley

Melvin Hurley 7 days ago

What does the bill do to those stays pensioners in receipt of PIP?

Up Down Reply Share

Andy

Andy 7 days ago

I am totally confused by all of this. I currently claim ESA(I have not been told to migrate to UC yet) PIP and Industrial Injuries(awarded to life). I have been told my ESA will be reduced significantly due to age adjustment by DWP as I am due to retire in March 2026. Someone else told me I will lose my Industrial Injuries when I retire. This is causing me a lot of stress, Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

2 Up Down Reply Share

Wiggles

Wiggles 6 days ago

Andy, can you contact your local Citizen's Advice? They can advise you on this, too.

Very sorry you're dealing with all of this additional stress.

Up Down Reply Share

Emma

Emma 7 days ago

Frustration is completely understandable. It's disheartening to witness how the media often reinforces negative stereotypes about disabled individuals instead of shedding light on the real issues and challenges we face. The narrative that frames us as burdens rather than valuable contributors to society is not only damaging but also misleading. The lack of coverage surrounding the recent vote and its implications for future claimants highlights how marginalised voices are frequently overlooked. Journalists must report the truth and stand up for those who are vulnerable, so it’s disappointing when they opt for sensationalism over integrity. We need to keep speaking out and demand the representation and respect we rightfully deserve.

1 Up Down Reply Share

Elisabeth

Elisabeth 6 days ago

Totally agree. Not just the usual contempt-filled spiel dripping out the privately owned Talk Radio stations, but also the supposedly impartial BBC but long-since highjacked by government. The debate was entirely absent from the BBC Sounds news headlines. A few days earlier however they ran a clip from BBC5 Live in their headlines in which a caller vilified someone he knew who had Addison's disease, a life-threatening lifelong condition because he said, even though they were in hospital a lot, when they were not in hospital, 'there was nothing wrong with them' (according to him, though he did not have Addison's himself). The edited clip did not contain anyone who actually has Addison's to counter-balance that argument and the only other caller in the clip was from another person saying their relative didn't need benefits as they worked and misspent them. Neither person they were villifying was there to defend themselves, nor was anyone from an Addison's charity or support group.

As someone with invisible conditions including orthostatic intolerance and ME who is regularly targeted with the same brush because people don't see how much time I spent resting in bed to recover from standing, this kind of editing and journalism goes completely against what i was taught in journalism college, ie to always have someone to represent the other side. It is almost entirely one-sided and one-dimensional. The media is a big reason for the absence of a working welfare system or any discussion on how to reform the welfare system because they never ask the right questions like asking the disabled what are the barriers to work inherent in the system, having no insight themselves into what it is like to be on disability benefits. The just spout an opinion revolving around the need for cuts and how welfare needs to be cut and run with that every time. And in the case of many of the presenters, mentioning no names, create such a hostile environment that the only people who call in are people who agree with them, giving the false impression that they represent the voice of the nation.

Only when someone high up in these media companies find their own family member gets ill and disabled and is affected do they ever speak out.

Offcom has totally failed to ensure representation of the disabled in media and ensure our voices are heard and presenters with proper insight ask the right questions. Offcom are a part of the problem. There needs to be change.

Up Down Reply Share

Andrew

Andrew 12 days ago

So when will they actually start going through the wca for people who are on lcwra and been on it a while?

4 Up 1 Down Reply Share

Honey

Honey 12 days ago

Has anyone any idea what the Timms review will look like for pip

3 Up Down Reply Share

Kitty

Kitty 13 days ago

Whta what about a carer who has health issues? If i claim lcwra now i will lose my carers element and maybe transitional payment.Any thoughts anyone please 🤔

Up Down Reply Share

Andy

Andy 13 days ago

I get the feeling the people will suddenly get a review of there UC after the new changes come in and oh look they failed, mandatory reconsideration failed, appeal failed, will have to make a new claim at the reduced rates, always the same with the political class straight for the dwp piggybank

9 Up 1 Down Reply Share

Emma

Emma 7 days ago

You’ve raised an important point. It appears that policy changes often lead to increased scrutiny and reviews of Universal Credit claims, which can sometimes result in challenging outcomes for claimants. This can create a perception that the system is not always supportive of those who depend on it. The process of mandatory reconsiderations and appeals can be particularly stressful, affecting individuals financially and emotionally. We must continue to advocate for equitable treatment and transparency within the system. By doing so, we can ensure that our concerns are addressed and that the implications of these policy changes are fully recognised and understood.

2 Up Down Reply Share

Anon25

Anon25 13 days ago

This article by Vox Political states that the Government has no legal obligation to follow the Timms's review findings - or even debate them, let alone have a vote. Perhaps the Benefits and work website could confirm whether this is correct: https://voxpoliticalonline.com/2025/07/10/disabled-people-betrayed-as-mps-hand-government-blank-cheque-for-welfare-cuts/?fbclid=IwY2xjawLc1dVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETBhTE52anA2ZUttdXY4TWhEAR5tz-6rteKXrTr9MJHJjqvUjzpRlvZlYxlHXZfFhUKhJu9nVYWjwDnSHvDVhQ_aem_HQH7etnETjmBx-RoJbwuRw

4 Up Down Reply Share

adrian

adrian 13 days ago

SO it seems if we / you claim £400 UC/// £423 mouth LCWRA now b4 april 2026 . NO change staysame . Both GOING up each year by 4.5 % to 2029/ 2030 ???. HOWEVER New CLAIMS lcwra from april 2026 be REDUCED 50 %///1/2 to £212 mouth be frozen to 2030 . However just like exciting claims basic rate £400 UC go up 4.5 % each year not NEW claims £212 mouth lcwra ???. SURELY this IS 2 tier system SCARY for younger under age 60 + today 2025 . ANY age 62- 65 now has disabiltys claims LCWRA NOW , Retires next 5 yrs 2030/ 2031 SCRAPE th0rugth YOUNGER ONES FUTURE FOLK DISABILITYS you do fear for . IS this start off SOCHIAL system disabilty safty net (DISMANTLE) ?????? .

6 Up 1 Down Reply Share

John

John 13 days ago

For all claimants UC standard allowance increases by more than inflation.

For existing claimants UC health is uprated such that UC standard allowance+ UC health element combined increase by inflation. So UC health is increased less than inflation.

For new claimants UC health element is cut to £217.26 and frozen.

Using the government/OBR forecast inflation figures this results in

Single age 25+

UC standard allowance 2025/26 £400.14 2026/27 £424.49 2027/28 £435.51 2028/29 £448.10 2029/30 £460.57

UC LCWRA health element existing claim 2025/26 £400.14 2026/27 £429.39 2027/28 £433.74 2028/29 £438.53 2029/30 £443.79

UC LCWRA health element new claim 2026/27 £217.26 2027/28 £217.26 2028/29 £217.26 2029/30 £217.26

In 2029/30

Existing claimant standard allowance £460.57 + LCWRA health element £443.79 = £904.36 (no better and no worse off than they would have been as has increased by inflation)

New claimant standard allowance £460.57 + LCWRA health element £217.26 = £677.83 (£226.53 a month worse off than they would have been)

Able unemployed £460.57 (£21.09 a month better off than they would have been as have had higher than inflation increases)

3 Up Down Reply Share

Biba

Biba 13 days ago

Thank you B&W for keeping us up to date, I don’t think without you I would really understand everything that’s going on as been quite confusing for me, reading bits here there on other site's.

5 Up Down Reply Share

Cuckoo21

Cuckoo21 13 days ago

So is this good news for people currently getting UC with the health element and pip?

4 Up 1 Down Reply Share

adrian

adrian 13 days ago

Seems so if we claim lcwra now 2025 , AGE 62- 65 . Retire next 5 yrs . SEEMS scraped in . BUT you have to fill sorry scared younger under age 60s with disabilitys of today. NEW RULES cuts ££ benefits .

4 Up Down Reply Share

Mark Hadfield

Mark Hadfield 13 days ago

When are the pip amendments likely to commence after Timms Review

5 Up Down Reply Share

Brian Loving sharon

Brian Loving sharon 13 days ago

Not happening till 2026 autumn

4 Up Down Reply Share

Mark Hadfield

Mark Hadfield 13 days ago

When are the pip amendments likely to come into play after the Timms review.

5 Up Down Reply Share

janerg63

janerg63 13 days ago

I am confused I thought they were able to abolish the WCA without a vote the way it had been worded? There is so much uncertainty about many aspects I hope significant risk is still supported as a route to the Health Element as I believe the Tories tried to abolish that and it was taken to judicial review

4 Up Down Reply Share

adrian

adrian 13 days ago

PLAN Lcwra/ WCA stay to 2028. THEN 2028 exciting claims lcwra merge with be called HEALTH ELETNMENT UC . WE get lcwra rate . NEW , new claims from 2028 NO no wca but claimntments have pass DAILY LIVING eletnment PIP to claim get HEALTH ELETNMENT UC . NO, END WCA SPRING 2028 2.5 YRS IF PASSED .

Up 1 Down Reply Share

Wayne

Wayne 13 days ago

If someone already gets lwcra what is going to happen will they lose it thanks

4 Up Down Reply Share

adrian

adrian 13 days ago

NO no claim lcwra now 2025 ???? no change £400 mouth uc £423 mouth lcwra . go up each year 4.5 % to 2030 . NEW CLAIMS NEW rules from april 2026 new claims lcwra £212 mouth uc£400 mouth . There lcwra be Frozen £212 mouth to 2030 . uc £400 go up 4.5% till 2030

1 Up Down Reply Share

Neil Cook

Neil Cook 13 days ago

I hope not coz that in me.

1 Up Down Reply Share

maggie

maggie 13 days ago

Anybody else feel that not only have the government won, but also the media.

The journalists could have done so much more to help us, by printing the truth about the goverments plans for the disabled. But instead (the majority) chose to do everything they could to paint us as scroungers, liars and fraudsters, not forgetting (according to them) that we are the reason for the abysmal state of our countries financial situation. (Of course, nothing to do with Reeves)

Yet today, nothing/very little, reported in the news about the result of the vote yesterday and the devastating impact it will have, particularly for future claimants.

Already we are classed as old news and not worthy of a mention. Something to be forgotten about.

Those journalists that attacked us, should be ashamed of themselves.

22 Up Down Reply Share

kevin

kevin 13 days ago

I feel exactly the same as you do, we have lost, the power's that be hate us, the media hate us and the really sad part the vast majority of the general public hate us too, just for being in a disabled or mentally ill minority. We are the only minority that can have hate speech and lies spouted about us by everyone and nothing is done about it. We are viewed as the lowest of the low in society, this speaks volumes about the current society we live in in this county.

15 Up Down Reply Share

1 2

Feedback

I went from low care component and no mobility, to enhanced for both.

... been put in the lcwra group without an assessment!!

Caroline Stephens

Seeking the truth

#Benefits and Work #UniversalCreditBill

Recent Posts

Comments