Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People

Benefits Tips Social Join us for our hybrid Benefits Tips Social - an evening of disability-related Benefits tips and peer support.

Don't fight the DWP alone, do it with friends!
Benefits Tips Social
Wed July 16・6:00pm
The Proud Trust
49-51 Sidney St M1 7HB
Join us for our hybrid Benefits Tips Social - an evening of disability-related Benefits tips and peer support.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/benefits-t...

· the extension of financial surveillance and policing powers in the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.

The Committee will examine the responses and all credible information during its thirty-third session, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 11 to 26 August 2025.

· the lack of a limited scrutiny because of its designation as a money bill.
· public statements by politicians and authorities portraying disabled people as fraudulent or burdens on society including debates around the Terminally Ill Adults Bill.

The committee seeks answers on:
· the lack of full impact assessments.
· the impact on women, younger people, and global majority people.
· the risk of increasing poverty rate.
· the inadequacy of the public consultation.
· the lack of involvement of deaf and disabled people’s organisations.

Even after concessions and the dropping of Clause 5 our concerns remain. Please note the UN has been given a timeframe for a response which conflicts with Government plans to designate this a money bill, meaning it should not be designated as such.

🚨🚨🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨🚨🚨

The United Nations is calling for the UK Government to stop the Universal Credit (PIP) Bill because it will 'deepen the signs of regression' in disabled people's human rights.

tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/...

Amendments 14 & 15 by Neil Duncan-Jordan MP - These crucial amendments would remove the dangerous UC cuts from the bill, leaving the bill as an uprating of UC. Amendment 2(a) by Richard Burgon MP - This would eliminate the punitive change to UC Health, which proposes a lower rate for all but those in the new serious conditions criteria group. Amendment NC10 by Nadia Whittome MP - This would ensure that there is a human rights analysis of the bill, which has been completely absent thus far. Amendment NC11 by Dr Marie Tidball MP - which would put a 12-month timeline on the ‘Timms Review’ and make it accountable to MPs by requiring a vote for any of its recommendations to be implemented. Amendment NC8 by John McDonnell - which prevents any proposal from the Timms review adversely affecting anyone’s eligibility for PIP. Amendment by Debbie Abrahams (19) - which changes the date on which the universal credit cuts start, from April 2026 to November 2026. Amendment NC4 by Stella Creasy - which calls for a duty to have due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People in exercising any power under this Act. Amendment by Kirsty Blackman (33) - which removes the requirement that, for the severe conditions criteria, a diagnosis must have been made by a health professional providing NHS services. Amendment by Graeme Downie (17) - which allows for the severe conditions criteria to apply to claimants who have fluctuating conditions, such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis.

Tell your MP to vote against the Universal Credit (PIP) Bill, it will put 50,000 disabled people into poverty.
Also ask them to support these Amendments:

Deadline to apply is rapidly approaching, Monday 7th July!

The Universal Credit and PIP Bill and Green Paper are the wrong policy approach and harmful. The ‘concessions’ do not alter this. We ask MP’s to vote the bill down on Tuesday.
Please continue to seek ways to talk to MP’s and their staff to give them this message.

UK Social Security Plans Will Harm People With Disabilities While the UK government claims its moves “will protect the most vulnerable,” in reality its plans to cut £4.5 billion in disability-linked benefits by 2030 will have a devastating impact on people’s r...

Human Rights Watch: UK Social Security Plans Will Harm People With Disabilities -
Proposed Benefit Cuts Will Worsen Poverty and Undermine Rights

Refuse to be invisible! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Now is the time to make our voices heard, sharing our experiences in the EHRC Consultation which affects LGBTQ+ people.

We've created a handy guide to help plan your response, get started now and share this post.

www.lgbt.foundation/EHRC

We have also been through two UN examinations that have found the UK is committing continued grave and systemic human rights abuses of disabled people. Until we can rely on our needs and Rights being met to thrive in society, the risk from this Bill of coerced euthanasia is too great to accept.

As Covid showed us, medical professionals have a low level of understanding of the realities of disabled people’s lives and we were disproportionately the greatest number of dead from the pandemic.

With ongoing austerity, our Social Care, Social Security, and Healthcare systems are in perpetual crisis with unmet need increasing. Disabled People are not getting the support they need to live.

GM Disabled People’s Panel is comprised of 16 organisations led by disabled people, we have a breadth of views across our organisations on Assisted Dying. However on the specific matter of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill we believe now is the wrong time to be supporting such legislation

The GM Disabled People’s Panel is comprised of 16 organisations led by disabled people, we have a breadth of views across our organisations on Assisted Dying. However on the specific matter of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill we believe now is the wrong time to be supporting such legislation. With ongoing austerity, our Social Care, Social Security, and Healthcare systems are in perpetual crisis with unmet need increasing. Disabled People are not getting the support they need to live. As Covid showed us, medical professionals have a low level of understanding of the realities of disabled people’s lives and we were disproportionately the greatest number of dead from the pandemic. We have also been through two United Nations examinations that have found the UK is committing continued grave and systemic human rights abuses of disabled people. Until we can rely on our needs and Rights being met to thrive in society, the risk from this Bill of coerced euthanasia is too great to accept.

The Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel (GMDPP) statement on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill:
gmdisabledpeoplespanel.com/2024/11/27/g...

First reading today after Urgent Questions And Statements at 12:30 commonsbusiness.parliament.uk/Document/955...

PRESENTATION OF BILLS
No debate (Standing Order No. 57) Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment
Secretary Liz Kendall Bill to make provision to alter the rates...

There's still time to apply for our CEO vacancy. It's part time and flexible. gmcdp.com/jobs

Manchester Disabled People Against Cuts We are disabled people in Greater Manchester and surrounding areas fighting for our rights.

Save The Date! We will be holding the first GM Disability Pride March on Saturday 5th July in Central Manchester, route will be announced soon.
manchesterdpac.com

Two yellow speech bubbles on white backdrop, in the bubbles are GMCDP cogs.

Need help and peer support with your Social Security/DWP? Come along to Benefit Tips Social
Thurs 12th June
6-9pm at Proud Place or online, register here
gmcdp.com/civicrm/even...

Location of Proud Place
what3words.com/trees.cling....

Are you a disabled leader committed to disability rights and the Social Model of Disability?

Do you believe in the power of grassroots activism, user-led change and inclusive leadership?

Could you be our new CEO?

gmcdp.com/jobs

#DisabilityRights
#NonprofitJobs
#GreaterManchesterJobs
#UKJobs

Citizens Advice condemn Green Paper cuts
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Parliament on 21 May 2025. Three residents of Manchester Withington constituency meet Jeff Smith MP, in Westminster Hall during a Mass Lobby of MPs. Despite late trains and cancelled ones, London traffic, crowds, queues, the usual misunderstandings and many reschescheduling communications, we made it! I spoke with tears at times; passionate and heartfelt. Grateful to Jeff for listening attentively and respectfully in the noisy and busy Westminster Hall. Hopefully, this trip has made sense. According to one Manchester-based group of disabled leaders, reforms to welfare in the green paper will harm the UK Social Security system, the welfare state, and our economy, nationally, locally and personally. To prevent this, we ask the UK Government to work with disabled people, instead of making decisions about us, without us. Parliament does not yet have the full picture. Vital information is missing. Incorrect, and misleading judgements are harmful.

Photo taken in UK Parliament, Westminster Hall. From left to right: Jeff Smith MP; Cathy Breen; Kyda Grabham; Helen Clark.

23 May, two days since mass lobby of UK Parliament on 21 May. Recovering at home in Manchester. Read ALT text of the images below for more. Have a good Bank Holiday all @jeffsmithmp.bsky.social @well-adapt.bsky.social @crips-against-cuts.bsky.social @dis-ppl-protest.bsky.social @gmcdp.bsky.social

Open Letter to All Greater Manchester MPs Regarding the Government’s Green Paper on Benefits 20 May 2025 To the Members of Parliament representing Greater Manchester, We are writing to you as members of the Greater Manchester Equality Panels regarding the Government’s recent ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper on changes to benefits. We are deeply concerned that the proposals outlined in the Green Paper risk undermining the dignity, security, and well-being of the very people the social security system was created to support. All the proposed policies concentrate on supply side workforce activation and none address the real problem of demand side labour market conditions. We are concerned that the language being used to talk about the Green Paper will have a negative impact on discrimination against disabled people. We already have seen a rise in disability hate crimes since 2010. We now have both the Office for Budget Responsibility impact assessment and responses to Freedom of Information requests, that show 1.3 Million disabled people will lose Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living and 80% of Universal Credit Health claimants (Limited Capability to Work Related Activity (LCWRA) & LCWRA+PIP) would lose all entitlement, raising the total facing a loss of income to 2 million disabled people . The re-arrangement of Universal Credit conditionality will see 600,000 disabled people who cannot work subject to being sanctioned for not looking for and finding work. Disabled people are already the majority of foodbank users, these proposals will see that number likely rise by several hundred thousand. We also know from Professor Ben Geiger that the actual level of cuts amounts to £9 Billion . The impact on employment is not known and will likely not be published until the autumn, meaning no one can make informed decisions about the stated aspirations that this will raise

employment. There is a great deal of existing data which suggests it will not, beyond a few percentage points . This raises serious questions about fairness, honesty, lack of peer reviewed independent evidence, and long-term cumulative social impact. We are concerned about the impact on the Government priorities of growth and reducing National Health Service (NHS) waiting lists. In a region like Greater Manchester, where communities are already grappling with inequalities, entrenched poverty, and continuing austerity, these changes will disproportionately harm the people who are already most excluded. The United Nations has twice reported on the conditions for disabled people in the UK, finding that there were ‘grave and systemic’ violations of our human rights , with further regression. This Green Paper will exacerbate those abuses We highlight the following key concerns: 1. Disability and Health Assessments The proposed tightening of eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Work Capability Assessment (WCA) (before its abolition, leaving a revamped PIP assessment as a single gateway to health elements of Universal Credit) risks excluding individuals with genuine and complex needs, particularly those with invisible or fluctuating conditions. Many of these individuals already struggle to navigate an opaque and stressful process, that has contributed towards over 600 suicides in just 3 years . 2. Mental Health Oversight The suggestion that mental health issues are being “over-diagnosed” within the benefits system can be stigmatizing . Mental health is a critical public health issue and dismissing it as less ‘deserving’ of support perpetuates harmful stereotypes. 3. Conditionality and Sanctions Proposals to expand conditionality and increase sanctions are

counterproductive. Evidence—including from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) itself—shows that sanctions do not lead to better employment outcomes, but do exacerbate hardship, debt, and mental distress . 4. Consultation Process There are 22 policies announced but the consultation only seeks to discuss half of these with the most impactful measures instead being put into a parliamentary bill. We are also concerned that the consultation process may not be fully inclusive, particularly of disabled individuals, carers, disabled people’s organisations, and frontline support workers. Any meaningful reform must be co-designed with those most affected. As MPs elected to serve the people of Greater Manchester, we urge you to: • Vote against the proposed changes. • Commit to co-producing a disability strategy with disabled people as outlined on the DPO Forum Manifesto . • Advocate for evidence and rights-based policies that reflect the lived experience of your constituents and the reality of the Social Model of Disability . We believe a Social Security system should empower, not penalise. It should be built on trust, support, and to remove the disabling extra costs of disability which are on average are £1,010 a month. We hope you will raise these concerns in Parliament and in your work locally, and we would be happy meet with you to engage with you further on this urgent matter. Yours sincerely, Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel Greater Manchester Equality Alliance

Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel Greater Manchester Equality Alliance LGBTQ+ Equality Panel Greater Manchester Older People’s Equality Panel Greater Manchester Race Equality Panel GMCA Women and Girl’s Equality Panel Youth Combined Authority

We have just published a joint letter with GM Equality Panel members opposing the DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper, please promote it across your networks and media:

Full text with references and Easy Read at link
gmdisabledpeoplespanel.com/2025/05/22/g...

Petition: Abandon DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper & create National Disability Strategy The DWP Green Paper Pathways to Work proposes what we think are devastating cuts to disability benefits. We think the Government must drop these proposals and instead begin a process of co-production ...

The DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper proposes cuts to disability benefits we believe would be devastating. One of the organisations we work with, @gmcdp.bsky.social, has created a petition, calling on the Government to drop these proposals.

Sign here: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

Open Letter to All Greater Manchester MPs Regarding the Government’s Green Paper on Benefits 20 May 2025 To the Members of Parliament representing Greater Manchester, We are writing to you as members of the Greater Manchester Equality Panels regarding the Government’s recent ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper on changes to benefits. We are deeply concerned that the proposals outlined in the Green Paper risk undermining the dignity, security, and well-being of the very people the social security system was created to support. All the proposed policies concentrate on supply side workforce activation and none address the real problem of demand side labour market conditions. We are concerned that the language being used to talk about the Green Paper will have a negative impact on discrimination against disabled people. We already have seen a rise in disability hate crimes since 2010. We now have both the Office for Budget Responsibility impact assessment and responses to Freedom of Information requests, that show 1.3 Million disabled people will lose Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living and 80% of Universal Credit Health claimants (Limited Capability to Work Related Activity (LCWRA) & LCWRA+PIP) would lose all entitlement, raising the total facing a loss of income to 2 million disabled people . The re-arrangement of Universal Credit conditionality will see 600,000 disabled people who cannot work subject to being sanctioned for not looking for and finding work. Disabled people are already the majority of foodbank users, these proposals will see that number likely rise by several hundred thousand. We also know from Professor Ben Geiger that the actual level of cuts amounts to £9 Billion . The impact on employment is not known and will likely not be published until the autumn, meaning no one can make informed decisions about the stated aspirations that this will raise

employment. There is a great deal of existing data which suggests it will not, beyond a few percentage points . This raises serious questions about fairness, honesty, lack of peer reviewed independent evidence, and long-term cumulative social impact. We are concerned about the impact on the Government priorities of growth and reducing National Health Service (NHS) waiting lists. In a region like Greater Manchester, where communities are already grappling with inequalities, entrenched poverty, and continuing austerity, these changes will disproportionately harm the people who are already most excluded. The United Nations has twice reported on the conditions for disabled people in the UK, finding that there were ‘grave and systemic’ violations of our human rights , with further regression. This Green Paper will exacerbate those abuses We highlight the following key concerns: 1. Disability and Health Assessments The proposed tightening of eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Work Capability Assessment (WCA) (before its abolition, leaving a revamped PIP assessment as a single gateway to health elements of Universal Credit) risks excluding individuals with genuine and complex needs, particularly those with invisible or fluctuating conditions. Many of these individuals already struggle to navigate an opaque and stressful process, that has contributed towards over 600 suicides in just 3 years . 2. Mental Health Oversight The suggestion that mental health issues are being “over-diagnosed” within the benefits system can be stigmatizing . Mental health is a critical public health issue and dismissing it as less ‘deserving’ of support perpetuates harmful stereotypes. 3. Conditionality and Sanctions Proposals to expand conditionality and increase sanctions are

counterproductive. Evidence—including from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) itself—shows that sanctions do not lead to better employment outcomes, but do exacerbate hardship, debt, and mental distress . 4. Consultation Process There are 22 policies announced but the consultation only seeks to discuss half of these with the most impactful measures instead being put into a parliamentary bill. We are also concerned that the consultation process may not be fully inclusive, particularly of disabled individuals, carers, disabled people’s organisations, and frontline support workers. Any meaningful reform must be co-designed with those most affected. As MPs elected to serve the people of Greater Manchester, we urge you to: • Vote against the proposed changes. • Commit to co-producing a disability strategy with disabled people as outlined on the DPO Forum Manifesto . • Advocate for evidence and rights-based policies that reflect the lived experience of your constituents and the reality of the Social Model of Disability . We believe a Social Security system should empower, not penalise. It should be built on trust, support, and to remove the disabling extra costs of disability which are on average are £1,010 a month. We hope you will raise these concerns in Parliament and in your work locally, and we would be happy meet with you to engage with you further on this urgent matter. Yours sincerely, Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel Greater Manchester Equality Alliance

Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel Greater Manchester Equality Alliance LGBTQ+ Equality Panel Greater Manchester Older People’s Equality Panel Greater Manchester Race Equality Panel GMCA Women and Girl’s Equality Panel Youth Combined Authority

We have just published a joint letter with GM Equality Panel members opposing the DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper, please promote it across your networks and media:

Full text with references and Easy Read at link
gmdisabledpeoplespanel.com/2025/05/22/g...

Help us fight the DWP’s secret benefits algorithm We are a Disabled People's Organisation run and controlled by disabled people. We use the Social Model of Disability to fight for our rights and to remove disabling barriers in society.

The case is over. We forced the DWP to explain its algorithm.

Details at Crowdjustice update:
www.crowdjustice.com/case/dwp-alg...

SURVEY: The impact of the Government’s proposed reforms to disability benefits announced in March 2025 A Women’s Budget Group and Sisters of Frida research collaboration This project The Women’s Budget Group (a feminist economics think tank) and Sisters of Frida (a Disabled women and non-binary people’...

SURVEY: Women’s Budget Group (a feminist economics think tank) and Sisters of Frida (a Disabled women and non-binary people’s collective)

The impact of the Government’s proposed reforms to disability benefits announced in March 2025.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Petition: Abandon DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper & create National Disability Strategy The DWP Green Paper Pathways to Work proposes what we think are devastating cuts to disability benefits. We think the Government must drop these proposals and instead begin a process of co-production ...

We have lodged a petition on the government's website to stop disability cuts, it if get's 100,000 signatures it will be considered for a debate in Parliament:
Abandon DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper & create National Disability Strategy
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...

Petition: Abandon DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper & create National Disability Strategy The DWP Green Paper Pathways to Work proposes what we think are devastating cuts to disability benefits. We think the Government must drop these proposals and instead begin a process of co-production ...

We have lodged a petition on the government's website to stop disability cuts, it if get's 100,000 signatures it will be considered for a debate in Parliament:
Abandon DWP Pathways to Work Green Paper & create National Disability Strategy
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...