The Conservatives want to “reform disability benefits” and tighten up what it calls a “sick-note culture”, saying people are now three times more likely to be assessed as not fit for work than a decade ago.
The party’s manifesto says it would create 60,000 new school places and 15 new specialist schools for children with special educational needs (SEND).
It says “mental health should have parity of esteem with physical health” and, as such, it plans to increase the number of clinical placements for those experiencing severe mental illness by 140,000 places.
The Conservatives want to cut £12bn from the UK’s £69bn welfare bill. Disability benefits alone are expected to rise from £39bn to £58bn in 2028/29.
Around £14bn of that is due to increasing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) costs, paid to people with long-term physical or mental health conditions who need support with everyday tasks.
The manifesto gives little detail on the changes beyond pledging a “more objective” assessment and restrictions on claims from people with mental health problems.
There is currently a 12-week consultation on changes to PIP which proposes using medical diagnosis over assessments and replacing PIP cash payments with vouchers and catalogues.
Launched on 29 April, it will be concluded come what may on 4 July, although any changes would require a law to be passed under the next government.
Mims Davies, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, says: “I think it’s very reasonable post-Covid, when you see a two-thirds increase, in spending to look at what’s happened. We have a responsibility to make sure that taxpayers’ money is well spent.”
More or Less: Ms Davies says there has been a two-thirds increase in spending since the pandemic. However, if we look at incapacity and disability benefits together with carer’s allowance and housing support in real terms in 2019/20, and we compare that to current spending on the same things in 2024/25, the rise is actually around 40%, not more than 60%.
