Eastbourne MP urges Government to ‘rethink’ PIP cuts

On Wednesday, July 1, the Government won a vote on its benefits bill by 75 votes which would see cuts to PIP benefits.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit designed to support millions of people living with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

The PIP assessment judges an applicant’s level of illness or disability by ‘scoring’ them on their ability to perform certain tasks – the higher the total score, the more disabled they are seen to be.

Under the current rules, scoring eight points combined across all the daily living assessment categories qualifies the claimant for the basic PIP standard allowance – 12 points qualifies for the higher enhanced allowance.

The original proposal would have seen new applicants from November 2026, at the earliest, have to score four points in one category, as well as reaching eight points across all categories.

However, this change has now been delayed until the findings from a wider review of PIP, led by Work and Pensions Minister Sir Stephen Timms, are available.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Babarinde warned that the Government’s plans would have a devastating impact on some of the most vulnerable members of society, and noted that the Bill would leave the fate of those people living with disabilities down to ‘luck’.

"The Secretary of State must listen to the voices of those who will be directly affected by these changes,” he said.

Speaking to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall, Mr Babarinde highlighted the case of Eastbourne resident Kathy who was left unable to work following a serious car accident, and now relies on PIP for support.

In response, the Secretary of State acknowledged the concerns, and reaffirmed her commitment to listening to the views of residents.

In a statement issued following the exchange, Mr Babarinde said: “This Government must not attempt to balance the books at the expense of those people in Eastbourne living with disabilities. These people aren’t numbers on a spreadsheet; they’re real people, who are terrified at the prospect of these cuts.

“They’re people like my constituent Kathy - who worked hard all her life until tragedy struck. Cutting support for her and others in a similar position is not just unfair, it’s wrong.

“I will continue to fight for people living with disabilities in Eastbourne and across the country.”