Simon Collerton

After the government abandoning one of the most harmful disability benefit reforms it's easy to think disaster has been avoided. But this isn't true and the government's plans will still cause many to struggle!

New @citizensadvice.bsky.social briefing published with @julia-rt.bsky.social‬ on how Universal Credit can adapt to promote income stability for working households. We set out policy options for the UC review to consider to reflect the reality of low paid employment.

The narrative around Universal Credit has long centred around work incentives.

This new briefing examines how effective UC is at encouraging employment – and how that focus may have overshadowed the deeper complexities of getting into work. 🧵

🔗 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

🚨 New report alert 🚨

We’ve launched our first local deep dive research into health inequalities - starting in Chapeltown, Leeds.

What does geography have to do with health & work? Quite a lot, it turns out. 🧵

Image of the Houses of Parliament

A long thread on why the concessions in and around the UCPIP Bill (ie the disability benefits cuts) are illusory, disingenuous and potentially makes things worse 🧵

There are 5 big myths to bust -fifth is the most difficult to untangle, but the most significant in my view, so please do bear with 🙂

As the MPs prepare to vote on the UC and PIP bill, it's really important to understand exactly what the consequences of the cuts will be. Victoria spells them out perfectly...

A really great explainer from Victoria of the government's welfare reform bill and what comes next in their plans to cut benefits for thousands of disabled people!

Screenshot of text: As part of our commitment to protect the most vulnerable and severely disabled, peace of mind will also be given to 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group - individuals with the most severe and permanently disabling conditions who will never be able to work - as they will not be called for reassessed for Universal Credit (UC) under new legislation. Those protected from reassessment will also be paid the higher rate of UC health top up of £97 per week, so they can live with dignity and security, knowing the reforms to the welfare system mean it will always be there to support them.

The Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill has been released. Here's a short thread highlighting a few things we learned:

(1) 200,000 people who are in the 'Severe Conditions Criteria group' will be protected from the changes to UC-H.

Its time for change in Jobcentres, but how do we do it? My new paper proposes a vision for Jobcentre reform. The central idea is to introduce case workers, who would be service users’ main point of contact and offer ongoing pastoral and practical support 🧵
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

A fair first step The Fair Repayment Rate — and what’s left to do to tackle the hardship caused by Universal Credit deductions

New blog on the Fair Repayment Rate, in effect since 30 April.

It's lowered deductions + raised UC incomes for many - BUT must be the first, not the only, step govt. takes to tackling deductions.

⚠️ We now need action on the causes of deductions, crucially the 5 week wait.

Jobcentres will no longer force people into ‘any job’ available, minister says Alison McGovern promises long-term career support in wake of Labour’s significant cuts to disability benefits

This shift in Jobcentre culture & priorities would be very welcome, but the positive agenda set out in last year's DWP White Paper is going to be so much harder to realise in the context of the benefit cuts & increased conditionality announced since then www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out plans to cut billions from health and disability benefits.

Instead of getting people into work, these cuts will push hundreds of thousands into poverty.

Our new report looks at the impact of cuts to PIP, UC health & scrapping the WCA (🧵)

Work won’t cut it

New briefing for @citizensadvice.bsky.social by me and @beccastacey.bsky.social

We look at whether people losing PIP and UC income will be better off *if* they move into employment, if reforms were implemented today

Here's a quick 🧵 but spoiler alert: probably not

1️⃣ we're in the 7th cycle of the Household Support Fund
2️⃣ its future is still uncertain
3️⃣ and we still see record demand for crisis support
... so what should come next?
New Citizens Advice paper on the future of crisis support + how to realise an approach that’s more than a sticking plaster🩹👇

The new government has committed to reducing health inequalities. At Citizens Advice, we have a unique insight into many of the different factors that can shape people’s health. So it’s exciting to be leading a new project, funded by @healthfoundation.bsky.social, to study this important topic.

New post with @julia-rt.bsky.social for @citizensadvice.bsky.social on Universal Credit's lost value

Quick thread on main points 🧵

Do plans to reform disability benefit assessments go far enough? When someone applies for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) they take a health assessment. This awards them points based on how their…

As well as cutting disability benefits, the government are planning to reform a crucial part of the application process: health assessments. We know they need to be improved but these changes don't seem to go far enough.

Check out the proposals below:

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/do-plans-to-...

Why efforts to get more disabled people into work are flawed How the Pathways to Work green paper limits the government’s likelihood of getting more disabled people into work

I’ve written about how the government's cuts agenda conflicts with its employment agenda

Reducing the financial support that enables many to access employment will only create further barriers to work for disabled people

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/why-efforts-...

Disability benefit cuts will cause widespread hardship, no questions asked Craig Berry takes a first look at the Pathways to Work green paper, finding that — despite large income losses for many disabled people —…

Disability benefit cuts will cause widespread hardship, no questions asked

Quick thread 🧵 on the impact of cuts on why the govt needs to properly consult - or see the full post at:

medium.com/@craig.berry...

Race against time: how short deadlines to return PIP forms are harming disabled people I was baffled when I received my Personal Independence Payment (PIP) review letter.

Just over a year ago my PIP review was launched. By the time I got the letter in the post, I realised I had just 3 days left to prove my entitlement. Otherwise, my PIP might be stopped.

That just isn’t enough time!

New blog below ⬇️

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/race-against...

PIP is not 'easy' to claim - despite what some media reports might suggest.

Gathering medical evidence is just one hoop people jump through to apply. And issues like long waiting times & charges for personalised letters make it far from easy.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Looking ahead to the disability benefits green paper, this essay for @citizensadvice.bsky.social makes the case for a system focused on improving health outcomes.

Co-authors @maddyirose.bsky.social, @victoria-anns.bsky.social & Simon Collerton

We challenge the 5 big falsehoods underpinning cuts…🧵

@citizensadvice.bsky.social chief executive Dame Clare Moriarty has written to Liz Kendall to outline our concerns ahead of the disability benefits green paper.

We highlighted the risk of significant hardship from any cuts to, or narrowing of eligibility for, disability and incapacity benefits 1/3

Short-sighted savings won’t fix health and disability benefits Plans to bring down the benefits bill could push disabled people into poverty and away from work

We know the gov wants to bring down the benefits bill. But cutting disability benefits will push disabled people into poverty, not work.

The gov says they want to raise living standards across the UK - disabled people must be part of these plans.

My blog:
wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/short-sighte...

The UK Government published its white paper on ‘Get Britain Working’ a few weeks ago.

Our families, welfare & work team at @citizensadvice.bsky.social have been looking deeply at the relationship and dynamics between claimants and job centre work coaches

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

“It annoys me that they have this power over me and then if they tell me to jump, I have to do it."

The report I wrote with @kslharrison.bsky.social discusses the dynamics between benefit claimants & their work coaches - and why it matters 🧵

Excited to share our new @citizensadvice.bsky.social report on work coach relationships with claimants. A lack of resources and too much focus on claimant compliance means that even the best work coaches struggle to provide effective employment support. Urgent reform is needed 👇
tiny.cc/3or6001

@citizensadvice.bsky.social we know that, for many disabled people, PIP can be the deciding factor in whether they can afford basic necessities.

PIP is essential for so many and changes need to be made to ensure the claims process is quick, easy and accessible!

and new claimants can expect to wait more than 3 months for a decision...

However, there are still almost half a million people waiting for their PIP review outcome...