Proposals are ‘absolutely terrifying’ for disabled people

An anti-poverty activist with physical and mental disabilities has said she is “absolutely terrified” by the UK government’s plans to make it harder to qualify for benefits.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall set out plans aimed at cutting the amount spent on welfare on Tuesday.

Sinead Quinn, from Londonderry, is concerned those living with “invisible illnesses” will be most affected by proposed cuts to the Personal Independence Payment (Pip).

“We have a massive problem here with mental health and trauma, a lot of which stems from the Troubles,” she said. “It will adversely impact Northern Ireland more so than the rest of the UK.”

Due to her health issues, Ms Quinn is currently receiving various benefits, including Pip.

She said there was “no certainty” that she would stay on the same level of support.

“I will be directly affected,” she told BBC News NI. “How do I live? How do I budget? It’s absolutely terrifying.”

“I’ve already had to visit a food bank in the last three months. Living on less, for me, it’s frightening to think what that will look like.”

The Labour government wants to get claimants into work, but Ms Quinn said her health condition meant she could not sustain regular employment.

Andrew Hamilton, 20, who has cerebral palsy and receives Pip, said he was flabbergasted by the plans.

It is not yet clear how the planned changes would impact Andrew or people with a similar condition.

Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster’s Nolan Show programme, he said: “Disabled people want to work, it is societal barriers which are causing disabled people not to work.

Mr Hamilton, who is severely sight impaired, said Pip was covering extra expenses such as assisted technology.

“It is covering day-to-day expenses that are not incurred by non-disabled people,” he said.

“Assisted technology is overly expensive for those with disabilities, for example I use a screen reader and that costs £1,000 up front.”

The UK government has said the changes they have announced will save £5bn a year by the end of 2030.

It will be harder to claim the key disability benefit Pip, which is paid to people who have difficulty completing everyday tasks or getting around as a result of a long-term physical or mental health condition.

It is not means tested and is available to people who are working. The payments will go up in line with inflation this year.

The eligibility criteria will be tightened up from November 2026, and so it will become harder to qualify for the daily living component of Pip.

The government plans more frequent reassessments for many people claiming Pip. However, those with the highest levels of a permanent condition or disability will no longer face reassessment.

The benefits system is devolved in Northern Ireland but in practice the Stormont administration mostly copies what is happening in England and Wales.

The Northern Ireland Executive does not have the resources to mitigate Labour’s plans, the communities minister has said.

Gordon Lyons said what he had heard so far about the proposed changes were concerning.

Asked whether he wanted Northern Ireland to break parity with GB and maintain the current system, he said he wanted to ensure those in need did not suffer.

“We are talking about significant sums of money. If these are savings of £5bn as a whole, we’re talking more than £150m for Northern Ireland – those aren’t resources we have at our disposal.

“We will continue to engage to see what will apply in Northern Ireland and continue to make the case.”

He said all executive parties wanted to work together to press the UK government on the issue.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said Labour was wrong to target the “most sick and vulnerable” in society.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson accused the government of breaking promises to the “sick and vulnerable”.

SDLP MP Colum Eastwood described the plans as “immoral and unethical”.

Alliance Party MP Sorcha Eastwood said: “Stripping away support without putting proper systems in place will push more people into poverty, increase demand on already overstretched health and social care services, and worsen existing inequalities.”

UUP MP Robin Swann urged the government to make a commitment that any legislative changes “did not negatively impact on those who face daily challenges that are unimaginable to most of us”.

TUV leader and North Antrim MP Jim Allister said he believed there should be parity across the UK on how benefits work.

Becca Bor, from the Northern Ireland Anti-Poverty Network, said there were “other ways that revenue can be raised”.

“The way in which you get more people into work is through support, training on the job, working with employers to actually increase employers wiliness to hire people with disabilities,” she said.

Stewart Finn, from MS Society Northern Ireland, said: “The harmful changes to Pip will make it even harder for disabled people – including many with MS – to manage the overwhelming additional costs of their condition.”