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Disabled people and their allies will take to the streets for protests in Cardiff on Monday 7 July and Swansea on Tuesday 8 July, demanding the government withdraw its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill ahead of a crucial Third Reading vote in Parliament on Wednesday (July 9).
The protests, called by Swansea DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts), accuse the Labour government of hiding damaging policies behind a rushed process and ignoring disabled people’s voices in welfare reform.
“The victory on changes to PIP is temporary,”
the group said.
“It’s a bad bill that may mean MPs voting to approve the results of a review in advance, before it happens.”
At the Second Reading on July 1, ministers appeared to climb down on some of the most controversial parts of the Bill — including changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) — prompting some to believe the worst was over.
But campaigners and welfare experts – including This Writer – are warning that the changes are cosmetic, and that the heart of the cuts agenda remains buried in the fine print, or deferred to secondary legislation and future reviews, which could evade full parliamentary scrutiny.
Six books are gone – 44 to go!
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Key concerns
-
Stephen Timms is leading the PIP review, despite widespread criticism of the original consultation. DPAC and others say he has failed to acknowledge any concerns raised by disabled people.
-
Under-22s still face losing the Universal Credit health component, a move activists say betrays a whole generation.
-
The Bill still includes cuts to Universal Credit for new claimants, despite assurances to the contrary.
-
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) recipients are left in limbo, with no clarity about how or if they will be affected.
-
Campaigners say the Bill is being rushed through Parliament without proper scrutiny, especially as the committee stage is likely to be completed early next week, immediately before the Third Reading.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
To these, Vox Political would add (from our previous article):
Amendments at Committee stage must:
-
Completely remove any powers to change PIP eligibility without fresh legislation;
-
Require binding Parliamentary votes on the review’s findings before any implementation;
-
Enshrine protections for both current and future claimants in law.
MPs must:
-
Ban any benefit structure that differentiates eligibility by application date;
-
Require an equality test for any new rules that ensures consistency, fairness, and legal accountability;
-
Protect children moving from DLA to PIP — and their carers — from being penalised under new rules.
Any further progress of this Bill should be conditional on:
-
Full, public impact assessments, including regional breakdowns, poverty risk, effects on carers, and demand on health and social care;
-
Publication of all consultation responses, not just summaries;
-
Statutory requirements for impact assessments before any future benefit rule changes.
And this principle must be the baseline from now on:
No eligibility changes for disability benefits without genuine co-production — and no implementation without a binding vote in Parliament.
The current plan remains top-down, rushed, and fundamentally untrustworthy.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
“The government must stop and listen to disabled people and carers, and consider our consultation responses,”
Swansea DPAC states.
“The bill must be withdrawn and time taken to get it right!”
The group’s statement concludes:
“We have gone beyond ‘co-production’. This government is incapable of doing it. Disabled people must lead the process of welfare reform, involving carers and the workers delivering the welfare system. Not clueless ministers seeking short-term cost savings.”
Six books are gone – 44 to go!
Just click on the image, make your donation
and provide your details!
Protest details
-
Cardiff: Monday 7 July, 4pm – meet outside Cardiff Central Library Hub
-
Swansea: Tuesday 8 July, 4pm – meet at Castle Square
-
All supporters welcome – bring banners, friends and solidarity
If you can’t attend any events but are concerned about the Bill: write to your MP now. You can find them at www.theyworkforyou.com and this may be the last chance to demand meaningful scrutiny before the Bill becomes law.
With Parliament set to move through remaining stages of the Bill at breakneck speed, this may be the last chance for the public and MPs to stop legislation that could restructure disability support with minimal accountability or debate.
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Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
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The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
Disabled people hit the streets as government rushes its UC&PIP Bill
Share this post:
Disabled people and their allies will take to the streets for protests in Cardiff on Monday 7 July and Swansea on Tuesday 8 July, demanding the government withdraw its Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill ahead of a crucial Third Reading vote in Parliament on Wednesday (July 9).
The protests, called by Swansea DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts), accuse the Labour government of hiding damaging policies behind a rushed process and ignoring disabled people’s voices in welfare reform.
the group said.
At the Second Reading on July 1, ministers appeared to climb down on some of the most controversial parts of the Bill — including changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) — prompting some to believe the worst was over.
But campaigners and welfare experts – including This Writer – are warning that the changes are cosmetic, and that the heart of the cuts agenda remains buried in the fine print, or deferred to secondary legislation and future reviews, which could evade full parliamentary scrutiny.
Six books are gone – 44 to go!
Just click on the image, make your donation
and provide your details!
Key concerns
Stephen Timms is leading the PIP review, despite widespread criticism of the original consultation. DPAC and others say he has failed to acknowledge any concerns raised by disabled people.
Under-22s still face losing the Universal Credit health component, a move activists say betrays a whole generation.
The Bill still includes cuts to Universal Credit for new claimants, despite assurances to the contrary.
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) recipients are left in limbo, with no clarity about how or if they will be affected.
Campaigners say the Bill is being rushed through Parliament without proper scrutiny, especially as the committee stage is likely to be completed early next week, immediately before the Third Reading.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
To these, Vox Political would add (from our previous article):
Amendments at Committee stage must:
Completely remove any powers to change PIP eligibility without fresh legislation;
Require binding Parliamentary votes on the review’s findings before any implementation;
Enshrine protections for both current and future claimants in law.
MPs must:
Ban any benefit structure that differentiates eligibility by application date;
Require an equality test for any new rules that ensures consistency, fairness, and legal accountability;
Protect children moving from DLA to PIP — and their carers — from being penalised under new rules.
Any further progress of this Bill should be conditional on:
Full, public impact assessments, including regional breakdowns, poverty risk, effects on carers, and demand on health and social care;
Publication of all consultation responses, not just summaries;
Statutory requirements for impact assessments before any future benefit rule changes.
And this principle must be the baseline from now on:
The current plan remains top-down, rushed, and fundamentally untrustworthy.
Get my free guide: “10 Political Lies You Were Sold This Decade” — just subscribe to our email list here:
👉 https://voxpoliticalonline.com
Swansea DPAC states.
The group’s statement concludes:
Six books are gone – 44 to go!
Just click on the image, make your donation
and provide your details!
Protest details
Cardiff: Monday 7 July, 4pm – meet outside Cardiff Central Library Hub
Swansea: Tuesday 8 July, 4pm – meet at Castle Square
All supporters welcome – bring banners, friends and solidarity
If you can’t attend any events but are concerned about the Bill: write to your MP now. You can find them at www.theyworkforyou.com and this may be the last chance to demand meaningful scrutiny before the Bill becomes law.
With Parliament set to move through remaining stages of the Bill at breakneck speed, this may be the last chance for the public and MPs to stop legislation that could restructure disability support with minimal accountability or debate.
Share this post:
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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