This week,
the Government
The Government are the people who run the country. They decide how much
tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like
income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools.
,
VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to the government to pay for things like schools and hospitals.
and
council tax
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
Tax is the money that people pay to the
council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. It helps to pay for things like social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
.
people should pay for things and how things like the National Health
Service
A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support.
should work.
put forward proposals to change disability benefits. It is important to note that no final decisions will be made until later this year, and nothing is going to change immediately.
Changes will include restricting eligibility for PIP by increasing the threshold of points needed to qualify in a PIP
assessment
An assessment is a way of finding out what help a person needs. When you have an assessment, you might have to go to a meeting or fill in a form.
. We are very concerned that the proposed eligibility changes will make it harder for people with more mild or moderate learning disabilities to qualify for PIP.
Talking to the media about PIP
Watch my
interview
An interview is a meeting where you talk to someone or a group of people about something. When you have an interview for a job, you have to answer questions and say why you would be good at the job. The person who gives the best answers is offered the job.
on Channel 5 news to explain how the benefits I get - including PIP - help me to lead an independent life.
No one should be punished just for having a
learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things.
, and we will share our concerns with government.
Many people with a learning disability need help with extra costs, such as personal care, specialist equipment and help with mobility. Support with these extra costs is essential to ensuring people with a learning disability have a good quality of life. These costs will not go away because their PIP is cut.
We will tell the Government how changes to PIP will impact on people with a learning disability and their families.
The government also plan to remove the Work Capability Assessment in 2028, so people will no longer have separate assessments and will just have one PIP assessment for both PIP and Universal Credit.
This makes the changes to the PIP assessment even more worrying, because people with a learning disability who do not qualify for PIP will also not qualify for extra support under Universal Credit.
However, this will remove one of the biggest barriers that people with a learning disability
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
when looking for work, which is feeling worried that they will lose their benefits long-term if they try work.
The government said they will fix this and introduce a guarantee that trying work will not lead to a reassessment. Mencap have been campaigning to change this barrier for years.
What next?
Before some of these changes come into force in 2026, the government still has time to listen to people with a learning disability to understand the very serious impact these proposals would have on their lives.
If you are a person with a learning disability, a family member or paid carer, sign up to be a Policy Shaper where you will have an opportunity to share your views with us on the government’s plans.
What to do if you feel worried
As a person with a learning disability myself, I know this is a worrying time for many people. I understand that financial worries can sometimes feel overwhelming.
- Our Learning Disability Helpline can help you explore practical support through our British Gas Energy Trust (BGET) money and energy caseworkers.
- If you are struggling with your mental health, you may find our mental health and wellbeing page helpful.
- You might also want to look at our webpage on changes to benefits which we will keep updated.