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King's speech 2024 updates

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There do not appear to be any disability or incapacity benefit related provisions in the King's Speech. 

The government can still introduce benefits legislation in the coming year that is not included in the speech, but the absence of any such content does suggest that it is not one of the main priorities for the first year of the current Labour administration.

 

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    jlee
    · 3 months ago
    prob hit people under 30 and new claimants.....?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    shock
    · 3 months ago
    anyone know about this?

    2014-16 Increased harshness
    DWP discouraged assessors 

    The DWP was concerned that the WCA was becoming excessively lenient, and made changes to tighten it (particularly to the substantial risk descriptor). The falling share of claimants allocated to ESA WRAG/ Support Group from 2014 reflects a change in the ‘substantial risk’ criterion, under which the DWP discouraged assessors from saying that there is a substantial risk to the claimant’s health if they are found capable of work/work-related activity – see my 2016 blog at https:// research.kent.ac.uk/rethinkingincapacity/2016/09/21/return-stricter-wca/.

    2024-07-after-the-wca-full-report.pdf (kcl.ac.uk)

    The return of the stricter WCA? - Rethinking Incapacity - Research at Kent
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Old Mother
    · 3 months ago
    I wish they’d leave older people alone.  I wish I had a younger pain free body but wishing or punitive benefit systems won’t bring back health.  

    If they substituted UBI for benefits we could do what we could and help the economy. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    diceman24
    · 3 months ago
    i wonder if what happened today with the world digital crash will have any say on the goverment about pip vouchers decision it goes to show we still need real cash sometimes 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Paul
    · 3 months ago
    https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/pip-reform-labour-plans-3179300?ito=copy-link_share_article-top
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      A
      · 3 months ago
      @Paul Nothing new in this article. it's just recycling and extrapolating old news, just to keep PIP and others sickness benefits in the news., and of course to fill in their pages with something.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Bud
      · 3 months ago
      @Paul They did the 3 levels of benefits with DLA.  Although I’m wondering if the 3rd level would be cash or something else. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA
    · 3 months ago
    BBC News - Halt 'dangerous' disability benefit changes, charities say
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp4wn22gjypo
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Harry
    · 3 months ago
    Please please get prepared



    Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) this morning also shows the percentage of people employed has fallen to 74.4%, while a near record 2.8 million people are now out of work due to long-term sickness.

    Today’s figures come a week after the Secretary of State set out how the Government’s plan to get Britain working will tackle economic inactivity and drive growth in every corner of the country.

    Alongside action to make work pay, overhaul skills and address the root causes of worklessness, including poor physical and mental health, the plan will deliver:


    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/work-and-pensions-secretary-slams-labour-market-stats-as-truly-dire-and-affirms-mission-to-get-britain-working-again
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro
      · 3 months ago
      @Harry It's amazing what they can do with graphs, and charts.  Cooking the books to make the disabled look bad.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Tomkins
      · 3 months ago
      @Harry Absolutely no new information there.. please stop trying to scare people 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Angel
      · 3 months ago
      @Harry It can try to deliver all it wants I ain’t well for work
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    MJ
    · 3 months ago
    I remember under Labour last, I was on incapacity benefit, I had to fill in forms and they brought me in for a thorough interview every two years. Under the Tories it was less often but more intense. I don't think there will be much change, maybe a little less hard. They will probably continue without the policies the Tories tried to institute. Or they might get radical and shake it up, for better or worse. I don't like radical, certainly not these days, slight gradual incremental changes is my boat.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    MJ
    · 3 months ago
    I've just read this.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Fibrofred
    · 3 months ago
    This article from Institute of Fiscal Studies is an interesting read on the proposed PIP Reform.
    "A response to the Conservatives’ proposals to reduce growth in the health-related benefits bill | Institute for Fiscal Studies" https://ifs.org.uk/articles/response-conservatives-proposals-reduce-growth-health-related-benefits-bill
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    diceman24
    · 3 months ago
    https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/rachel-reeves-refuse-pip-reform-rishi-sunak-3075256?ito=copy-link_share_article-top Interesting article maybe a bit of hope 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Claire
      · 3 months ago
      @keepingitreal This is absolutely what is happening,raise the pension age then wonder why people are too damn ill or exhausted to carry on.Don’t even let me start on the whole world online and the chaos of today while we are left struggling to keep up.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      boris1
      · 3 months ago
      @diceman24 Why post links that only those who subscribe to can access?
      So frustrating.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      keepingitreal
      · 3 months ago
      @diceman24 That's a while ago, though, that article. Can we trust her post election? It always amazes me, too, when people observe, as Reeves does, the 'rise in the number of economically “inactive” people aged between 16 and 65' - many people in their 60s did not expect or want to be working. 

      For those who are tired, ill, otherwise committed and overloaded with caring for their children's children, sick and/or elderly family, sorting out various domestic matters after years of work, etc, etc, recourse to applying for sickness benefits is an obvious route to replacing some of the income that has been stolen from them in the breaking of the contract whereby you paid your stamps and got your pension. 

      Of course they are economically “inactive” (though, actually, they often support younger family members to achieve employment and save the state social care costs) - they've retired, on NO MONEY, because the government has said they can't have their pension...yet. So they apply for sickness benefit, of course they do, and the statistics are therefore skewed, presenting an exaggerated vision of a society in declining health, when people just used to be allowed to be old. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Angel
      · 3 months ago
      @diceman24 I know there are disabled people who want to work but what about people who don’t feel well and also have mental health issues. Not all disabled are up to having to deal with work just getting up and having to deal with life is enough as it is.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Tom R
    · 3 months ago
    An absence of information from the Gov should been seen as a good sign. Please stop worrying about what could-be. Nobody knows the future and just live your life as best as you can. You never know!
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MJ
      · 3 months ago
      @Tom R It's no good telling people to stop worrying when they haven't heard something either way. I take your rational point and agree, but you forget emotion. When has someone telling you not to worry ever stopped you. ;)
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MJ
      · 3 months ago
      @Tom R An absence of information tells you that there is no change. They've had months or even longer to come up with a policy. The fact they haven't announced anything says they are still thinking about it or they aren't ready to announce it. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA
    · 3 months ago
    Re my previous post this is where the information is found with regards to Stephen Timms voting record. Thanks for this website info from previous contributor.

    https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10596/stephen_timms/east_ham/votes


  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    CaroA
    · 3 months ago
    Sir Stephen Timms was appointed Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions on 8 July 2024. 

    How Stephen Timms voted on Welfare, Benefits and Pensions For votes held while they were in office:

    -Consistently voted against reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms (which Labour describe as the "bedroom tax")
    -Consistently voted for increasing the state pension age for women more slowly
    -Consistently voted against making local councils responsible for helping those in financial need afford their council tax and reducing the amount spent on such support
    -Consistently voted against increasing the state pension age
    -Almost always voted for paying higher benefits over longer periods for those unable to work due to illness or disability
    -Almost always voted for raising welfare benefits at least in line with prices
    -Almost always voted against a reduction in spending on welfare benefits

    I hope he is a kinder person to have at the heart of the disability benefit system and will see the traumatic distress recent proposals have caused and put a stop to them immediately.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Gilly
      · 3 months ago
      @CaroA I certainly hope so. We need people in charge who actually care instead of trying to vilify those of us who have to live with disability and illness every day. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      mrfibro
      · 3 months ago
      @CaroA Don't hold your breath.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Natalya
    · 3 months ago
    Having been under their control during the pandemic, they have gathered all the information they need about us. 

    By forcing us to use our bank cards for purchases, they are able to track our every move, knowing who we are, where we are, and how we spend our money. 

    We are constantly under surveillance, and now they are attempting to strip away the independence of those receiving disability benefits.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      KimABT
      · 3 months ago
      @Tom R @Tom R - lives will be in danger over these reforms, those with mental health issues are close to the edge, they would have pulled themselves together if it was possible. Think of the case of Jodie Whiting, the DNS is reporting her case won't be heard until late September this year. Her mother remarks that since Jodie's suicide she hears from others who convey their suffering so the DWP are still treating folks with the same contempt, &  sudden cessation of benefits that prompted Jodie ( tribunal agreed why it's going to high court) to take her own life. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Tom R
      · 3 months ago
      @Natalya Speculation is worse than rumours. You do not know what is going to happen. Go and enjoy your life and stop worrying yourself about what could never be
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Ed
    · 4 months ago
    Yep, all they care about is control, the speech just outlined a stark future for us all... Control by digital id means big step to digital money and ubi control and more suggestion of forcing disabled people into work knowing fine well employers will not do anything to help the working environment.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Al
    · 4 months ago
    I am glad there seems to be no political will at the moment, to hit the disabled. That may change in a year. One thing to watch out for is papers like the Daily Mail. Running "scrounger" stories. That is when you know a hit is coming. That is how MPs prep the public. Check few weeks before Rishi did his vouchers speech. A round of "scrounger" stores hit the Mail and other right wing media.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Rik
      · 3 months ago
      @Al It’s coming in the budget. Reeves told Bloomberg today “I’m going to level with people… difficult decisions are coming”. She’s warning  business that she’s going to cut benefits as part of the budget.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    David brown
    · 4 months ago
    What a load of rubbish , 40 bills ..there is definitely a north and south devide,  black rod 😳 what a joke ..there comes a time in all are lives where we have no choice but to stop working weather we like it or not ..if the so. called politicians had there way ,we wouldn't retire at all ..they just want everyone to work work work and fall down dead ...then like oliver please sir can I have some benefits....what boy !!!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    Eggcustard
    · 4 months ago
    Please please please reply to the consultation if you can for those of us who can’t 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      lesley
      · 3 months ago
      @Eggcustard
      Am on it eggcustard.  Doing it bit by bit.  Doing my best, concentration not too great.
      Thanks for reminder, shall do a couple of pages now.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      Ruth
      · 3 months ago
      @Eggcustard Your comment has made me feel sad :( 

      I struggle greatly with brain fog due to severe anxiety, depression and debilitating chronic fatigue syndrome. I was determined to take part in the consultation so my partner who is my carer and I have worked on this a bit at a time over the weeks, I really have to pace myself and do what's possible as I'm very frequently too ill to concentrate on anything. It's an upsetting experience too, which doesn't help me with my health condition at all.  We've only just sent the form in. 

      It reminds me that I'm fortunate compared to many Benefits and Work members who find it too difficult to fill in for whatever reason. Your comment makes it so important, by many times over, that everyone that can write down their opinion  for, not only for themselves but for all the members that are unable to do so. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      MariW
      · 3 months ago
      @Eggcustard I have just sent through an amended version of my response to the Green Paper regarding “reform” of PIP. If anybody hasn’t put their response through yet, please have a go.

      The consultation form is here:

      B&W’s answers are here:

      Rants are useless. Write clearly and politely, stating which each suggestion is either unworkable or inappropriate…unless you like the proposals!

    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      A
      · 4 months ago
      @Eggcustard That's right. Instead of ranting and venting out their frustrations over this website, people should rather fill in the open consultation and express their views and concerns. Neither Liz Kendall nor the DWP would read your rants over here and somehow they'll be wasted. 

      Therefore, I reiterate, completing the consultation is the way to go to have your say.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    John
    · 4 months ago
    i see that the In the recent King's Speech, delivered by King Charles III, several significant bills were outlined especially the notorious:

    The Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, which was stalled in the previous Parliament, was indeed included in the speech, indicating its reintroduction and prioritization in the new legislative session​ (POLITICO)​​ (Politics Home)​​ (The Spectator)​.

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