iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

That's not to say there's nothing the government could do to improve the welfare system. But the idea that costs are "out of control" compared to the past is wrong and leads to misdiagnosis.

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Tom Royston @tomroyston.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Really important High Court decision today, quashing a local authority’s council tax reduction scheme. The judgment contains many lessons about these schemes. Trafford's scheme was ultra vires, irrational, and unlawfully discriminatory, and breached the PSED @rightsnet.org.uk @nawra.bsky.social

Judgment header of R (LL and AU) v Trafford Council [2025] EWHC 2380 (Admin) (19 September 2025)

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Ben Baumberg Geiger @benbgeiger.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Are out-of-work benefit claims at a record high? My new post open.substack.com/pub/inequali... , and also my take on More or Less this morning at www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

open.substack.com

Are out-of-work benefit claims at a record high?

The official statistics are wildly misleading - I've now made some new estimates that show just how wrong they are

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Child Poverty Action Group @cpaguk.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Our Welfare Rights Conference is almost here! 📍 Manchester – 8th October 📍 London – 23rd October Spaces are limited, book now to secure your spot: bit.ly/4dH9gU8

bit.ly

Conferences and seminars

Our conferences and seminars give a unique opportunity to learn all about the latest developments in social security, giving you the tools to maximise the incomes of the people you work with.

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rightsnet @rightsnet.org.uk · 05/09/2025

Law Commission’s latest law reform programme will include project to outline legal framework for public sector automated-decision making: www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/68085

rightsnet.org.uk

Now: Law Commission’s latest law reform programme will include project to outline legal framework for public sector automated-decision making - Rightsnet

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

'Artificial intelligence tools used by more than half of England’s councils are downplaying women’s physical and mental health issues and risk creating gender bias in care decisions, research [led by Sam Rickman, LSE] has found.' 1/2

theguardian.com

AI tools used by English councils downplay women’s health issues, study finds

Exclusive: LSE research finds risk of gender bias in care decisions made based on AI summaries of case notes

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Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

New government data on the impact of the two child limit: 469,780 households now affected, with 1,665,540 children in those households Almost 40,000 more children affected since last year It's a child poverty machine & it will cost us all more in the long term - get rid of it

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Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People @gmcdp.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

🚨🚨🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨🚨🚨 The United Nations is calling for the UK Government to stop the Universal Credit (PIP) Bill because it will 'deepen the signs of regression' in disabled people's human rights. tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/...

tbinternet.ohchr.org

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Economics Observatory @econ-observatory.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Updated #ChartOfTheDay: the UK sits just below the middle of the pack on social spending. The UK spends ~23% of GDP on social protection according to the OECD. The DWP's lower figure of 10.8% only covers DWP benefits - not the NHS. Today’s chart uses the broader, more comparable OECD measure.

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Second Reading @commonslibrary.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill 2024-25 - Progress of the bill commonslibrary.parliament.uk/resear…

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Carri Swann @carriswann.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Section 2 of the Bill still halves the LCWRA (‘health’) element of universal credit

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Nadia Whittome MP @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

I’m voting against disability benefit cuts because I oppose them, but the process by which this Bill is being rushed through without necessary information or adequate scrutiny, is reason enough for MPs to vote against it on Tuesday. This is not how we should make laws.

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Iain Porter @iainkporter.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Today Govt confirmed changes it will make to planned cuts to disability benefits. But Govt will still ask MPs to vote for large, arbitrary cuts to disabled people’s incomes that will increase poverty. The Bill should be opposed. Here’s why. 1/7

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rightsnet @rightsnet.org.uk · 24/06/2025

More than 100 MPs sign Reasoned Amendment* declining to give a Second Reading to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/63537 * sponsored by the chairs of the Treasury, Work and Pensions, Education, Women and Equalities, and Housing Committees

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Vicky Foxcroft MP @vickyfoxcroftmp.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

(1/2) With a heavy heart, I have written to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as a whip. Whilst I will continue to support the government in delivering the change the country so desperately needs, I cannot vote in favour of the proposed reforms to disability benefits.

Screenshot of Vicky's letter to the Prime Minister (page 1)

Screenshot of Vicky's letter to the Prime Minister (page 2)

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Nadia Whittome MP @nadiawhittomemp.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

It was sobering to catch up with Debbie from St Ann's Advice Centre last week. We discussed the devasting impact that disability benefit cuts would have on our community. Hearing the harrowing stories of disabled service users underlined why these cuts must be opposed.

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Lucy Bannister @lucybannister.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

How we talk about our social security system matters. Words shape attitudes and attitudes shape policy. We can too easily inadvertently fuel misconceptions and shame. We're asking all MPs and journos to use @turn2us.org.uk's new 'talking about social security' guides, for a better conversation.

turn2us.org.uk

Supporting better conversations about social security

Turn2us has published two new guides to encourage more positive and respectful conversations about social security.

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Maddy Rose @maddyirose.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out plans to cut billions from health and disability benefits. Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty. Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)

citizensadvice.org.uk

Pathways to Poverty: How planned cuts to disability benefits will impact the people we support

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Carri Swann @carriswann.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

“The illusion… - that there is no money, that inequality is inevitable, that even the worst suffering cannot be eased - disappeared in a puff of smoke.”

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Debbie Abrahams MP @debbieabrahamsmp.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

The Work and Pensions Committee has written to the Work and Pensions Secretary urging a pause to the proposed restrictions to PIP & UC health eligibility to allow independent assessments to be conducted on their impacts.

Dear Liz
Pathways to Work Green Paper
As you might be aware, my Committee is conducting an inquiry into the Pathways to Work
Green Paper, for which it has taken oral evidence from a range of stakeholders, including
disabled people’s organisations, disability charities and academics, and received written
evidence from other organisations. We plan to publish our report in due course, but since two
of the most significant reforms (the change to eligibility for the daily living component of the
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and the rebalancing of Universal Credit (UC) rates) are to
be legislated for very soon, as agreed when we designed the inquiry, we are writing now to set
out some key findings and recommendations in respect of these measures, in advance of this.
In summary, we strongly support the Government’s ambition to reform the social security
system, including incapacity and disability benefits. We also recognise the financial challenges
the Government faces, and in this context the desire to reduce spending on health-related
benefits, particularly by supporting more disabled people into work. But we also have some
concerns about the potential unintended consequences of the legislative changes, as well as
the sequencing of reforms and the lack of a full impact assessment. In the light of these
concerns, we ask the Government to delay any changes to PIP eligibility until it has completed
its review of the PIP assessment. We also ask the Government to delay its changes to UC rates,
as the evidence indicates it might not improve employment outcomes for most claimants, but
instead push many into poverty and further away from the labour market.
Changes to PIP eligibility and UC rates
The Government will shortly be legislating to require a PIP claimant to score at least four points
in at least one activity of the daily living component to qualify for that component, and to
rebalance UC rates by freezing UC health for existing claimants and almost…

guarantee of never being reassessed. It is not clear when it plans to legislate for the additional
premium, however, and the Green Paper contains no information on how eligibility will be
determined. The changes to PIP eligibility and UC rates are the first measures to be
implemented from a package of proposals.
The case for reform
The Government has justified the change to PIP eligibility and UC rates on the grounds that
spending on health-related benefits is financially unsustainable. As it says in the Green Paper,
spending has increased by £20 billion since the pandemic and before the reforms were
announced, it was forecast to rise by a further £18 billion by the end of the Parliament.1
It also
notes that the number of people receiving working-age health-related benefits has increased by
twice as much as the rate of disability prevalence.2
The Government is right to be concerned about the dramatic increases in the numbers of
people claiming incapacity and disability benefits. We received evidence, however, that the
best way to view the cost of working-age welfare is as a whole (both health and non-health
related) and as a proportion of GDP, and that, measured in this way, the level of spending is
roughly the same as it was in 2007.3 Whilst spending on working-age health-related benefits as
a proportion of GDP has increased by 0.9 percentage points since 2007-08, the proportion
devoted to non-disability and incapacity-related and non-housing support for children and
working-age adults has fallen by 0.8 percentage points.4 The Government acknowledges this
broad point in the Green Paper.5 We also heard that the increase in working-age health-related
welfare spending had been offset, and could partly be explained by, reductions elsewhere, such
as those resulting from the post-2015 benefits freeze, the benefit cap and the two-child limit,
the last of which captures more and more people every year.6 This point needs to be borne in
mind when considerin…

system that the Government says have incentivised people to claim, including, in particular, the
real-terms reduction in the value of the UC standard allowance since 2015 and the removal in
2017 of the additional payment for those found to have limited capability for work (LCW). As a
result of these two changes, if a claimant is found to have limited capability for work and workrelated activity (LCWRA), the value of their benefit entitlement increases significantly. The claim
that this has incentivised people to be found to have LCWRA has been made by others,
including the OBR itself and the Lords Economic Affairs Committee.8 At this stage, we are
inclined to agree with the Government and others: the design of incapacity benefits,
particularly the disparity between the standard allowance and UC health, has probably
incentivised some people to claim the higher rate.
We were told, however, that other factors might also be driving people to claim both incapacity
and disability benefits, including, in particular: rising ill-health, including mental ill-health; rising
financial insecurity, particularly among disabled people; and the exclusion of disabled people
from the workplace, exacerbated by the rise in the state pension age. It seems very possible
that these other factors, which we will address in our final report, have indeed contributed to
rising caseloads. If this is the case, the legislative changes might not incentivise work, as the
Government hopes, but rather push people deeper into poverty, worsen health, especially in
more deprived areas, and move people further from the labour market, as evidence suggests
has happened in the past with similar reforms.
Timing of the changes
We believe the Government understands the complex relationship between work and health
and the underlying causes of rising health-related welfare spending. This is evident from its Get
Britain Working White Paper and much of the Green Paper, about which we will have m…

We ask the Government to delay any changes to PIP eligibility or UC rates, extend and
expand the current consultation, and work to co-produce measures with disabled people and
their organisations, reflecting the Government’s commitment on ‘nothing about me, without
me’. We strongly recommend that the Government take a ‘precautionary principle’ approach
and immediately undertake an independent, comprehensive analysis of the impact of the
proposed cuts in UC health support on employment, poverty and health outcomes.
We also urge the Government to delay its plans to amend the eligibility criteria for the daily
living component of PIP and engage disabled people and their organisations in order to coproduce proposals for a new PIP, as part of the PIP review. Most importantly, we need to
guarantee that those who need PIP will not lose out. At that point, it should publish and
properly consult on its proposals more widely.
I would be grateful for your response to these conclusions and recommendations by Monday 2
June 2025. As is usual practice with the Committee’s correspondence, I will be publishing this
letter and your response on the Committee’s website.
Yours sincerely,
Debbie Abrahams MP
Chair, Work and Pensions Committee

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Luke Tryl @luketryl.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

Third area is maintaining two child benefits cap. We know that overall voters are oppose removing the cap 36-49, but work we have done with @jrf-uk.bsky.social shows that voters views on the two child cap are not immutable - message testing shows attitudes can shift depending on case made.

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Second Reading @commonslibrary.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Personal Independence Payment and disabled people commonslibrary.parliament.uk/resear…

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 06/05/2025

The announced changes to disability benefits will lead to very substantial falls in income for some families. While some families will gain a small amount from the changes, others will lose thousands of pounds a year.

Chart showing Annual impact of changes to PIP and Universal Credit, by family characteristics: UK, 2029-30
Losses will fall on those who no longer qualify for PIP daily living, who will be £3,700 worse off in 2029-30 (in 2024-25 prices) if they are receiving the standard rate or £5,700 worse off if they receive the enhanced rate; those who lose Carer’s Allowance because someone they care for no longer qualifies for PIP, who will be £4,300 worse off; and those who claim UC after April 2026 and receive the new lower UC-H rate, who will lose £2,400. Current recipients of UC-H will have that element frozen from 2026, meaning they will lose £210 by 2029-30. The biggest losses could hit couples with a disabled member and somebody who cares for them full-time.

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Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

New @neweconomics.bsky.social analysis challenges the government narrative that the rise in PIP claims is disproportionate We show that financial insecurity is driving a greater proportion of a growing population of disabled people to legitimately seek support www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

independent.co.uk

Starmer warned benefit cuts to hit 800,000 and be ‘as toxic’ as winter fuel changes

Exclusive: Sir Keir has already faced a fierce backlash over PIP cuts, with left-wingers vowing to vote against the changes when put before parliament

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rightsnet @rightsnet.org.uk · 06/05/2025

Now updated with links to our summaries of the five research reports ...

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rightsnet @rightsnet.org.uk · 25/04/2025

No clear or obvious route to legally challenge the flagship elements of the government’s proposed health and disability benefit reforms @tomroyston.bsky.social @leigh-day.bsky.social www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/62350

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Disability Rights UK @disrightsuk.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Today Amnesty International UK released a report exposing the brutal reality of the UK social security system that targets those already pushed to the margins. DR UK has authored the section on the impacts on the Disabled community. Please read & share widely! 👇 www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/so...

amnesty.org.uk

Social Insecurity Report

We are Amnesty International UK. We are ordinary people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights.

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Tom Loosemore @tomski.com · 25/04/2025

Any civil servant leading the reform of a complex public service should read this document from DWP, reflecting on the painful lessons learned implementing Universal Credit. data.parliament.uk/DepositedPap...

data.parliament.uk

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Molly Broome @mollybroome.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

New @resfoundation.bsky.social‬ research out today assesses how the capital rules in Universal Credit are affecting recipients, where the system is falling short, and what can be done to improve it. Some key findings… ⬇️

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 17/03/2025

Rather than make rushed cuts to welfare spending, there are plausible options to raise tax even with major tax increases off the table. A 2-year freeze extension to Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds would be broadly progressive & raise around £8bn.

chart showing Impact of a two-year freeze to Income Tax and National Insurance thresholds: UK, 2029-30. Threshold freezes in 2028-29 and 2029-30 would not have an immediate impact on households
Employee impacts in 2029-30:Basic rate: -£150
Higher rate: -£450
Additional rate payer: -£350
(Less for UC households).

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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Lib Dem MP Liz Jarvis asks disability minister Stephen Timms directly in the chamber to commit that those who cannot work because of their disability will not see their benefits cut. Timms won’t make that commitment but says current welfare system is failing.

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Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

The government is right to try to 'de-risk' the journey into work for people on incapacity benefits, through the kind of 'right to try' they are trailing today Taken along with the plans to improve employment support announced last year, it could have formed a transformative agenda But... 1/3

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Carri Swann @carriswann.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

I wonder where Green Paper proposals will leave contributory ESA cESA is a non-means-tested, earnings-replacement benefit which in broad terms is for ill or disabled people with a recent work history At the moment, entitlement hinges on the work capability assessment

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Iain Porter @iainkporter.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Yesterday, a Government press release claimed the number of people “considered too sick to work” had "quadrupled" since the pandemic (a "383% rise"). This is incorrect. In fact, it’s not even close. It's more like 40%. This thread explains why 🧵1/7

Image of Government press release stating a "383% rise in less than five years" in the number of people considered too sick to look for work.

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Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

This, from a DWP press release yesterday (gov.uk/government/n...), is outrageous In two short paragraphs it peddles multiple falsehoods about the current system that will be used to justify upcoming cuts & changes Here's what MPs & journalists should be challenging... 🧵

Text from a DWP press release: In the current dysfunctional system, a person is placed in binary categories of either “fit for work” or “not fit for work” through the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) – an assessment the government has said it will either reform or replace, so it no longer drives people who want to work to a life on benefits.

Through this process, those not fit for work are told they have Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) – meaning they won’t receive employment support or further engagement from the system at any point following their assessment – effectively abandoning and locking them out of work indefinitely.

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Declan Gaffney @greyskiesthinking.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The government wants to reduce welfare spending. What is the least-worst way to do this? I suggest four considerations: priority to those on the lowest incomes; avoiding concentrated losses; maintaining work incentives at the extensive margin; simplicity in implementation and reversal.

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Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 11/03/2025

There are rumours that the Government is looking to cut the benefits bill as it tries to reduce public spending. But has there been a huge rise in welfare spending in recent years? A quick thread👇

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Craig Berry @craigpberry.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

What do we want to happen? 1/3 No evidence that cuts are justified - any cuts would only be about reducing cost. This will cause severe hardship for some disabled people, increase pressure on charities &other parts of the public sector, and not give people help they need to find & maintain work

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Craig Berry @craigpberry.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

Looking ahead to the disability benefits green paper, this essay for @citizensadvice.bsky.social makes the case for a system focused on improving health outcomes. Co-authors @maddyirose.bsky.social, @victoria-anns.bsky.social & Simon Collerton We challenge the 5 big falsehoods underpinning cuts…🧵

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Frances Ryan @francesryan.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Labour’s reported disability benefit cuts are not just about budgeting but a belief: paid work is a virtue (and people who don’t perform it deserve a worse life than everyone else). My col. in tomorrow’s paper. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.com

There is a shameful British tradition of demonising disabled people. Why is Labour reigniting it? | Frances Ryan

Ministers run away from a wealth tax and then concoct a punitive benefits system. They have made that choice and it’s immoral, says Guardian columnist Frances Ryan

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Jessica Elgot @jessicaelgot.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Starmer has told Labour MPs that Britain’s benefits system is the “worst of all worlds”, with the numbers out of work or training “indefensible and unfair" as he prepares for deep cuts to disability payments. The numbers of young people out of work meant “a wasted generation.”

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Child Poverty Action Group @cpaguk.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

On this day 60 years ago, the first meeting of the group that established CPAG took place at Toynbee Hall We are working to prevent and end child poverty – for good.

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Alex Clegg @alexclegg.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

Total social security spending rose by about 1% of GDP from the eve of the financial crash to 2024-25, driven by increases in spending on the State Pension and non-pensioner health-related benefits

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CPAG in Scotland @cpagscotland.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

OPEN FOR BOOKINGS... our annual Welfare Rights Conference returns to Glasgow on Thursday 19 June and we look forward to welcoming you! This event is always a popular event so book now to secure your place. More info and booking: cpag.org.uk/training-and... #welfarerights2025

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SocArXivBot @socarxivbot.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Road Testing Child Benefit and Social Assistance Reforms: Critically analysing the trilemma between poverty reduction, public expenditure and work incentives: osf.io/pb2wz_v1

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Kartik Raj @kartikraj.eurosky.social · 03/03/2025

Unambiguously clear from the UN #CESCR. The two-child limit and benefit cap should be reversed. There’s a lot more in the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ recommendations to the UK govt. Here’s my brief comment for @hrw.org in @mirror.co.uk www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

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