The Labour government is pushing through tougher eligibility requirements for a range of benefits amid widespread opposition from disability groups and anti-poverty campaigners, reports Marco Marcelline

Foodbanks, disability campaigners, and community organisations in Waltham Forest have urged the borough’s three MPs to vote against the proposed welfare changes in parliament today (1st July). 

In a bid to make savings of up to £5billion by 2030, the Labour government has proposed tightening eligibility criteria for future personal independence payments (PIP) claimants, slashing fresh incapacity benefits by 50%, and reducing out-of-work payments for under-22s. 

Some of the proposals have been watered down after a hefty Labour backbench rebellion threatened to derail it. 

But despite those concessions to Labour rebels, community organisations and activists in Waltham Forest remain resolute in their opposition, calling the proposals “disastrous” for disabled people.

In an open letter to Calvin Bailey, Stella Creasy, and Sir Iain Duncan Smith, organisations including the Hornbeam Centre, Feed the Streetz, and Waltham Forest National Education Union, said the government’s welfare changes had to be scrapped.

Calling the Labour government’s move a “choice”, they said: “These proposed changes to universal credit and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) will not only have a disastrous impact on the lives of disabled people and their carers, but on the wider community’s resilience and ability to cope in these difficult times.”

In a letter to MPs, secretary of state for work and pensions Liz Kendall confirmed all existing claimants of PIP will not be affected by the tougher eligibility requirements set to be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only.

Currently, claimants need to score a minimum of eight points across a range of tasks to qualify. Under the new rules, people will need to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to qualify.

Critics have pointed out that this means people without a single dominant condition but who still experience challenges with activities such as cooking, dressing or washing would not qualify for PIP. 

To ease backbench concerns, Kendall has announced a consultation on these PIP changes will be “co-produced” with disabled people and published next autumn. 

Jess Brownrigg, from the Hornbeam Centre, told the Echo: “The cuts will still affect new claimants, meaning there will be many people in the coming years who will not have the support they need. Even with these concessions to the bill, a deeply unjust two tiered system will emerge. And yet again the pressure will fall on already overstretched, underfunded community organisations and their volunteers to support people affected by this.”

In Waltham Forest, only the Leyton and Wanstead MP Calvin Bailey is set to vote in favour. Both Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy (Labour), and Chingford and Woodford Green MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative) are understood to be planning to vote against the bill.

In an opinion piece for the Daily Telegraph Duncan Smith, who was himself secretary of state for work and pensions from 2010 until 2016, said the bill’s potential impact on people with debilitating physical conditions like arthritis and cancer was “deeply concerning”.

He instead suggested that the government focus on limiting mental health benefits to those with severe conditions and use savings to fund mental health support for people with anxiety and depression while supporting them into work.

Meanwhile, Creasy is one of 65 MPs who have co-signed a fresh “kill the bill” amendment by left-wing Labour MP Rachael Maskell.

In an interview with Andrew Marr on LBC radio this week, the Walthamstow MP criticised the concessions that had been made by the government, stating that they create “more confusion”. 

She said: “I can’t support the welfare reform bill even with the changes put forward because it creates three categories of claimants meaning more confusion – I hope the government listens to these concerns and rethinks the review process before proceeding.”

Last month, activists protested outside Bailey’s constituency office in Leytonstone High Road, where they urged him to oppose the welfare reform proposals.

The Labour MP responded to the protest by promising to continue to listen to local concerns, and he reiterated that sentiment in a statement to the Echo on Tuesday. He said: “I have been listening to constituents with very understandable concerns about parts of the government’s original reform package, and advocating for change. That advocacy does not stop with the vote, because this process is far wider than the bill, and changes will take effect over years.

“I will be spending today (1st July) continuing to engage with the government on these complex and difficult issues. As we have seen, advocacy from MPs can make a real difference to the government’s plans, and I want to see further change.”

After today’s 7pm vote, a final reading of the bill is expected to be voted on Wednesday next week before it is sent off to the House of Lords. 

It has been designated as a money bill, which means it will likely be approved quickly by peers because it is established convention that only the House of Commons can amend financial legislation. 

Are you a Waltham Forest resident who is affected by the proposed changes? Get in touch: [email protected]

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