Protect Universal Credit

Your voice changed the government's minds on Personal Independence Payment, let's do it again!

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The UK government is debating a bill on Wednesday 9 July that would make it more difficult for people with Parkinson’s and other fluctuating conditions to get financial support.

Universal Credit is a means-tested income replacement benefit for people who are out of work, or on a low income. The health element is there to provide an extra financial boost to those living with a long-term condition or disability.

The government plans to introduce a 'severe conditions' criteria. This aims to cover people who cannot ever do a specific activity, for example pushing a button. Parkinson's symptoms often fluctuate from hour to hour. This criteria does not work since it's common for people to be able complate an action sometimes but not others.

Alf’s story

Alf was a bus driver who had to stop working due to his Parkinson’s. On the basis of his severe tremor and other symptoms, he was accepted as having limited capability for work-related activity because he could not reliably press a button on a telephone keypad or turn the pages of a book any time he might want or need to.

Under the proposed requirement, that inability to perform an activity must "constantly apply”, so Alf would not be found to have limited capability for work-related activity, despite his entirely unreliable dexterity. This means that if the new requirement becomes law, Alf would not get the extra UC health top-up payment.

We are urging MPs to support the amendment to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill tabled by Graeme Downie MP and speak out in the debate on Wednesday 9 July.