Ministers face backbench calls to widen access to top tier of sickness benefits

Leader Live

5 days ago

Labour backbencher Graeme Downie has proposed a welfare reform Bill amendment, so universal credit claimants with Parkinson's or multiple sclerosis who cannot work do not face repeated medical assessments to receive a payout.
If MPs back his amendment, patients with 'evolving' needs who cannot work could also qualify for a higher rate of benefits.
The Government's Bill has already cleared its first Commons hurdle at second reading, after work and pensions minister Sir Stephen Timms vowed not to restrict eligibility for the personal independence payment (Pip), with any changes coming in only after a review of the benefit.
To meet his promise, ministers have had to table amendments to their own draft new law, to remove one of its seven clauses, which MPs will debate next Wednesday.
Universal credit claimants with Parkinson's 'are already possibly struggling financially', Mr Downie told the PA news agency ahead of the debate.
He added: 'The cost of living with a condition like Parkinson's can be very high.
'You may well require or need additional support.'
The Dunfermline and Dollar MP said patients who struggle with their motor control might buy pre-chopped vegetables or chicken.
'Those things are expensive, so if you're already on universal credit and you're struggling, being able to do that significantly impacts your health, it significantly impacts your ability to live properly,' he continued.
As part of the Government's reforms, the Department for Work and Pensions has proposed a new 'severe conditions criteria' for universal credit.
Claimants in this category will be entitled to a higher rate of the benefit, and will not be routinely reassessed to receive money.
To qualify, claimants must have limited capability for work or work-related activity (LCWRA) and symptoms which 'constantly' apply.
Mr Downie's amendment would expand these criteria to claimants with 'a fluctuating condition'.
It would cover 'conditions like Parkinson's but also multiple sclerosis, ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), long Covid and a whole range of other conditions where, you know, in the morning things could be really good and in the afternoon things could be really bad, and even hour by hour things could change', he said.
'I felt it was necessary to table an amendment to really probe what the Government's position is on this, and ensuring that people with Parkinson's and conditions like that are not excluded from even applying and being considered.'
Mr Downie's proposal has backing from 23 cross-party MPs.
Juliet Tizzard, external relations director at Parkinson's UK, said: 'Criteria in the Bill say that a new claimant for the universal credit health payment will have to be 'constantly' unable to perform certain activities to qualify.
'This doesn't work for people with Parkinson's, whose symptoms change throughout the day.
'People with Parkinson's and other fluctuating conditions like multiple sclerosis will be effectively excluded from getting all the financial support they need.
'The Government has responded to our call and withdrawn the damaging restrictions to Pip.
'Now, they must do the same with the universal credit health element. The health of many people with Parkinson's is in their hands.'