Statement: Welfare Reforms - Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill: Second Reading⁣⁣

Statement from Paul Foster MP  Welfare Reforms - Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill: Second Reading⁣⁣

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⁣⁣𝖫𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗄, 𝖨 𝗆𝖺𝖽𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝖿𝖾𝗅𝗍 𝖺 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗂𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝖺𝖽𝖽 𝗆𝗒 𝗇𝖺𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗌𝗈𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖶𝖾𝗅𝖿𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝖱𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆 𝖦𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖯𝖺𝗉𝖾𝗋, 𝗍𝗁𝗎𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝖿𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾𝖽.⁣⁣

𝖶𝗁𝗂𝗅𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝖾𝗉𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝖿𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗒𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗆 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝖻𝗌𝗈𝗅𝗎𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗇𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺𝗋𝗒, 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝖺 𝗇𝗎𝗆𝖻𝖾𝗋 𝗈𝖿 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖿𝗍 𝗅𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗌𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖽.⁣⁣

𝖮𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝖿𝖾𝗐 𝖽𝖺𝗒𝗌, 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗅𝖾𝖽𝗀𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗇𝗌 𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄𝖻𝖾𝗇𝖼𝗁 𝖼𝗈𝗅𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗀𝗎𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗀𝗇𝗂𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗌𝗉𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖺𝗅𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍. 𝖨’𝗆 𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖾𝗇𝗀𝖺𝗀𝖾𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖬𝖯'𝗌. 𝖠𝗌 𝖺 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗎𝗅𝗍, 𝗌𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖺𝖼𝗁𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾𝖽:⁣⁣

𝟣. 𝖢𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗎𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗇 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗉𝖾𝗍𝗎𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖾𝗑𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖯𝖨𝖯 𝖼𝗅𝖺𝗂𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝖺𝗌𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗎𝗋𝗋𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗀𝗂𝗆𝖾. What this means is the current 5,500 recipients of PIP in South Ribble will retain their current awards and any future reassessments will be undertaken on the current criteria, they will not be moved to any new system in the future.⁣⁣

𝟤. Agreement that a full consultation will now take place with disabled people and their representatives, 𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝖿𝗎𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗉𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾; 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖻𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝖲𝗂𝗋 𝖲𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝖳𝗂𝗆𝗆𝗌, 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗅𝖾, and will be known as the ‘Timms Review’.⁣⁣

𝟥. An additional £300 million boost to employment support, 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗉 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖺𝖻𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗁 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗆𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝗂𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗇.⁣⁣

𝟦. Agreement that the combined value of the Universal Credit standard allowance and the health top-up will now rise at least in line with inflation, 𝖺𝖽𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗒 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗇𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗓𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗁 𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖽𝗎𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗂𝗇 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗆𝗌.⁣⁣

𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝖽𝖾 𝖻𝗒 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗎𝖻𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖡𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗆𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝗂𝗀𝗇𝗂𝖿𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇. However, I am strongly against any future changes to PIP until the Timms Review is complete, and the recommendations from this review, which will be co-produced with disability organisations, disabled people, and their care givers, create the new PIP regime. I have had direct discussions with Ministers today and they have confirmed that this is now assured, and the November 2026 deadline initially referenced will no longer apply.⁣⁣ 𝖠𝗇𝖽 I can formally confirm that the ‘4’ point PIP requirement from November 2026 that I totally opposed has formally been removed from the Bill. All changes to PIP moving forward are now subject fully to the outcome of the Timms Review. Just how it always should have been.

𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝖼𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖼𝗈𝗅𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗀𝗎𝖾𝗌, 𝖬𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗄𝖾𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝗌𝗒𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗆 𝗂𝗌 𝖿𝖺𝗂𝗋, 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗍𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖿𝗂𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗉𝗎𝗋𝗉𝗈𝗌𝖾.⁣⁣

𝖨𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝖿𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗒 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗒 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌. After today, it will move to the committee stage/third reading, where further scrutiny will take place by all MP's from across the house, and there will be further opportunities for amendments and concessions to be made. This will take place next week. 𝖦𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗀𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗒 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖺𝖽𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽, 𝖨 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖡𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖼𝖾𝖾𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝗑𝗍 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝗏𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝗈𝖽𝖺𝗒, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗌𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾𝖽, if the changes detailed above are not fully reflected in the final legislation my support is not guaranteed. ⁣⁣

𝖨 𝗐𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝗂𝗍𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝖿𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗎𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖾𝖽, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗎𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄 𝗍𝗂𝗋𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗈 𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗍𝗎𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖲𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁 𝖱𝗂𝖻𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖼𝖾𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗇𝗈𝗐, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗎𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾. ⁣⁣

𝖨𝖿 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗏𝗂𝖽𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗋𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝖼𝗂𝗋𝖼𝗎𝗆𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗌, 𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗍 𝗆𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗏𝗂𝖺 𝖾𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗅: 𝗉𝖺𝗎𝗅.𝖿𝗈𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋.𝗆𝗉@𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍.𝗎𝗄.

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