Everything we know so far about the welfare bill vote
These plans, which will mainly affect recipients of Universal Credit and the Personal Independence Payment, have been controversial from the start.
They were first unveiled by Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall in March, shortly before Chancellor Rachel Reeves made them a central element of her spring statement.
Both argued cuts were badly needed to secure the future of the welfare state as costs continue to balloon, and that those on benefits needed to be encouraged into work.
But many emboldened Labour MPs said they could not face voting to cut off support for those who need it.
A rebellion of more than 120 backbenchers appears to have been staved off by a raft of concessions made last week, but Sir Keir Starmer is still facing one of the trickiest votes since he became PM almost exactly a year ago.
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Here's all we know about the bill ahead of the second reading vote this evening.
The full name of the bill that will be debated today is hefty: it's called the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill.
That name, though, gets to the heart of the changes that are being proposed. If enacted, the legislation would make two of the headline changes announced earlier this year.
In order to get PIP, which is meant to help pay for the additional costs faced by people with disabilities, would-be recipients are assessed on how much assistance they need for everyday tasks.
The person is rated on a points scale of 0 to 12. At the moment, they would need a score of eight or more across the range of tasks to qualify. Citizens Advice has more information here.
If the bill goes ahead, there would be an additional requirement that the person must score at least four on at least one of the tasks to qualify.
That won't apply to everyone after changes announced by the government last week, though – find more on those details below.
There are two parts to Universal Credit – the standard allowance, which is for all recipients, and the health element, for people with disabilities and health conditions that affect their ability to work.
Under the new bill, the standard allowance would increase above inflation for the next four years.
However, the health element would be halved for new recipients from April 2026 and then frozen for the next four years.
The government argues this would 'support people towards work, address perverse incentives and to start to improve basic adequacy'.
Facing the very real possibility of a Labour rebellion dooming a major government bill, government figures held crisis talks with MPs last week.
The results of those talks were revealed in full yesterday. They include concessions on both the PIP and UC parts of the bill.
First, PIP: the changes mean the additional requirement outlined above would not apply to current recipients, who would continue to get their payment under the old terms.
Only new claimants from November 2026 onwards would be assessed according to the new requirements. A consultation into PIP would also take place, to be published next autumn.
For UC, Liz Kendall told MPs yesterday that current recipients of the health top-up would see their income – combined with the standard allowance – rise at least in line with inflation for the rest of the Parliament.
The same would also go for new claimants with severe lifelong health conditions and those at the end of life.
Her announcement responded to concerns over the effects of a proposed freeze on the health top-up for current claimants – though Kendall did not explicitly say this freeze would not go ahead.
Longstanding Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier led the first 'reasoned amendment' which aimed to stop the bill in its tracks, gaining a lot of traction last week.
At its peak, more than 120 backbenchers from the party were signed onto it. That figure was enough to overturn the government's huge majority.
Among them were seasoned rebels from the left of the party, including Richard Burgon and Nadia Whittome, as well as those who are typically more loyal, such as Sarah Owen and Dame Meg.
The signatories also included one former government minister: former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh. More Trending
Many of the rebels thought the vote today would be pulled, but instead the concessions outlined above were made. They appear to have won around enough MPs to ensure the bill will pass its second reading.
But lots could still vote against, and several are also expected to abstain. The exact numbers will make a big difference to how things pan out.
If the bill is rejected in today's vote – held on the first day of Disability Pride Month – the government will have to go back to the drawing board in its effort to reform the welfare system.
But just as significantly, the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves would take a massive hit and the government would be plunged into a serious crisis.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
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Glasgow Times
39 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Starmer abandons key welfare reforms in face of Labour revolt
The Government has shelved plans to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip) and any changes will now only come after a review of the benefit. The climbdown came just 90 minutes before MPs were due to vote for the first time on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. Labour rebel ringleader Rachael Maskell said the situation was 'a complete farce' (Richard Townshend/UK Parliament/PA) It will cause a major headache for Chancellor Rachel Reeves as the welfare squeeze was originally meant to save £4.8 billion a year, which was subsequently reduced to £2.3 billion when the Bill was first watered down last week. Postponing any changes to the eligibility criteria for Pip means it is now uncertain how much the reforms will save from the soaring welfare bill. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused ministers of 'utter capitulation' and said the legislation was now 'pointless'. She said: 'They should bin it, do their homework, and come back with something serious. Starmer cannot govern.' Some 39 Labour MPs have signed an amendment which would see the Bill fall at its first hurdle in the Commons. Rebel ringleader Rachael Maskell said: 'The whole Bill is now unravelling and is a complete farce. 'What it won't do is stop the suffering of disabled people which is why we are determined to go ahead with the reasoned amendment and attempt to vote down the Bill at second reading.' A previous effort to kill the Bill had attracted more than 120 Labour supporters, but was dropped after the first partial U-turn on the legislation last week, which restricted the Pip changes to new claimants from November 2026. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the legislation was now 'pointless' (Stefan Rousseau/PA) That date has now been abandoned in the latest climbdown, with any changes now only coming after disability minister Sir Stephen Timms' review of the Pip assessment process. Sir Stephen announced the climbdown in the middle of the debate on the legislation. He acknowledged 'concerns that the changes to Pip are coming ahead of the conclusions of the review of the assessment that I will be leading'. He said the Government would now 'only make changes to Pip eligibility activities and descriptors following that review', which is due to conclude in the autumn of 2026. The concession came after frantic behind-the-scenes negotiations in Westminster involving the Prime Minister, his cabinet and wavering Labour MPs. It appeared to have won round some Labour doubters. Josh Fenton-Glynn, who was one of the 126 Labour MPs who signed the original rebel amendment to the welfare reform Bill last week, described the move as 'really good news'. He said he wanted to support the Government at 'every opportunity' and was glad changes to personal independence payment eligibility would be delayed until after the Timms review. But other Labour MPs appeared exasperated, with one telling the PA news agency that no-one 'knew what they were voting on anymore'. Charlotte Gill, head of campaigns and public affairs at the MS Society, said: 'We thought last week's so-called concessions were last minute. But these panicked 11th hour changes still don't fix a rushed, poorly thought-out bill.' But Jon Sparkes, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said: 'The last-minute change relating to the review Sir Stephen Timms is leading sounds positive and we are pleased that the Government has listened.' He added: 'Disabled people should not have to pay to fix black holes in the public finances.'
Glasgow Times
39 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Labour rebels offered 11th-hour concession over welfare reform
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42 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Starmer abandons key welfare reforms in face of Labour revolt
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