Council                                                           Agenda Item 4

 

Subject:                    Local impacts of HMG Green Paper - ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working’

Date of meeting:     23 June 2025

Proposer:                 Councillor Sykes

Seconder:                Councillor De Oliveira

Ward(s) affected:    All

 

Notice of Motion

Green Group & Independent Member

This Council Notes:

1.    Government proposals in the 18th March ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper plan a net reduction in welfare spending of £4.8 billion per year by 2029-30, by narrowing the eligibility criteria to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), and reducing health-condition related Universal Credit (UC-H). National and local impacts expected include:

·         250,000 individuals driven into relative poverty, 700,000 families falling further below the poverty line and 30% of all families with a disabled member being worse off;

·         Increased rent arrears among council tenant households that include disabled people;

·         Increased pressure on social services as statutory responsibilities under the Care Act 2014 will remain but residents’ ability to contribute to costs will reduce;

·         Increased use of food banks as 75% of food bank visits are from households with one or more Disabled members;

·         The loss of carers’ allowance by those caring for people no longer eligible for PIP will mean many unpaid carers will not be able to continue.

This Council resolves to:

  1. Request that the Council Leader writes to the Ministers concerned to:
    • ask for any changes to be paused until a full impact assessment can be undertaken;
    • ask whether the proposed cuts merely transfer costs from central government budgets to those of the NHS, local councils, and struggling local economies;
    • call for meaningful co-production with disabled people in shaping disability benefits policy
  3. To request a report  is submitted to Overview & Scrutiny (People) which  assesses the impact these changes will have on disabled residents in our community.