we were all impacted by the news of government welfar cuts … but how do we make sense of this and stay calm in the midst of concerns?
This little article will share more detail and ways you can manage these changes
One of the things we continually communicate to individuals we work with is that it’s vital to focus on what you can control and not spend energy and worry on what you can’t. But what do we do when something affects us that we have no control over? Many people’s experiences of the recently announced benefit cuts feel like that. In these situations it’s really important to work out what’s really going on and to think practically about ways to lift the stress.
We are also really aware these issues cause acute stress. If you need help and support, do get in touch. You can use the form at the bottom of this article.
what is actually happening?
At this stage all that’s been announced is something called a Green Paper. This paper needs to go through parliamentary processes and can be affected by the input of MP’s and Lords as well as pressure groups. So it’s possible things may change and definitely, these changes aren’t happening right away.
Details of exactly how everything will affect people also isn’t clear yet but here's what we do know:
The Government wants to save £5billion from the Welfare budget by 2029-30. The budget will still actually increase but by much less.
Eligibility criteria for PIP will be tightened. This centres around the scoring system and in particular that applicants score a high score of 4 points in at least one descriptor.
Young people under 22 will not be eligible for the disability element of Universal Credit.
New claimants may have a reduced value of Universal Credit disability element. It’s important to not this proposal is for new claimants only, not existing ones who’ll see this stay the same.
The Work Capability Assessment will be scrapped, meaning everything will come solely through the PIP assessment scheme,. It’s also worth noting that people on Universal Credit with the most severe disabilities or health challenges will not face any reassessment, There will also be an additional premium for those who won’t ver be able to go back to work.
One knock on implication is that those receiving Carers Allowance may see it reduce. This is because if fewer people are receiving PIP then carers won’t be eligible for the allowance.
SOME GOOD NEWS
Not all the changes are bad news. One thing we noticed in the announcements is that a “right to try” will mean that people claiming benefits can try out a new job without immediately having their benefits cut. From what we’ve heard from people we work this - this is good news - as that hurdle can be a real challenge. Our Recovery and Rebuilding Course will be adapted to reflect these changes and we recommend it to you if you’re thinking about getting back into work. You can find our about the next sessions when they’re announced by using the contact form at the bottom of this article.
WHAT SHOULD I DO RIGHT NOW?
In short, the best thing to do right now is nothing. These changes will take a while to implement. The earliest these will have an impact is April 2026. If we take the approach of focusing on what we can control, then the only action we can take right now is to let our local MP’s know the impact of what is happening on us. If you want to do that this great article below from the patients association tells you how to do it:
How to write to your MP - https://www.patients-association.org.uk/how-to-write-to-your-mp
You can also find out who your MP is using this link - https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP.
One thing worth saying is that the Government has released its Impact Assessment on these changes that suggest a further 250,000 people including 50,000 children will be affected by this. Although that’s worrying remember that that is just an assessment and doesn’t necessarily mean it’s you. Try to not focus too much on the media reporting right now
Worry about these changes is a real challenge. We have found already that many people we work with are concerned, apprehensive and worried. Whilst it’s easy to let this overwhelm you, lets try and practice this helpful and tried and tested wellbeing approach:
Take time to settle and ground yourself - steady your breathing, slow down.
Be aware of your worries and accept them - they’re real.
Be reassured that right now, none of this is certain and we don’t know if it’ll affect you or not.
If it does - there is help and you’re not alone - see below.
Try and be present and take each day at a time. Right now, your income isn’t affected by these changes and you don’t need to consider the implications as we don’t know them.
WE WILL HELP YOU, OTHERS WILL TOO
At time of writing many different organisations and charities are gearing up to help people with the implications of the Welfare cuts that do come through. Once the Green Paper phase concludes and any legislation is brought to parliament we will know more. Here at Space to Breathe we intend to offer a service where we work one to one with people to help them manage the impact of the changes and to think clearly on how to move forward. We will stand with anyone that needs help. We know other organisations will too. You can use the form below to register your interest for any support.