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Our statement on clause 5 of the Universal Credit and PIP Bill
Spinal Injuries Association welcomes the Government’s confirmation that Clause 5 of the Universal Credit and PIP Bill will be removed at committee stage next week.
Clause 5 would have introduced a damaging and restrictive new minimum points threshold for PIP eligibility from November 2026, a change that risked excluding many disabled people, including those with spinal cord injuries, from the vital support they rely on to live fulfilled lives with dignity. In addition, this change would have disproportionately affected disabled women, by not considering the specific challenges they face.
This further U-turn comes after sustained and strategic campaigning by SIA, including detailed briefings to MPs, Ministers, the Prime Minister, public advocacy, letters from our members, and unwavering support from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Spinal Cord Injury.
Dr Dharshana Sridhar, campaigns manager at SIA, said:
“This is a significant victory for our community. People with spinal cord injuries made their voices heard through letters, posts, and powerful testimony. Decision makers listened to your voices today. It shows the real impact of lived experience, collective action, and focused lobbying.”
However, this should never have come to this. The rushed and unclear nature of the process surrounding this Bill caused unnecessary fear and distress for disabled people. It was a failure of policymaking that has shaken trust in the system.
We now call on the Government to honour its promise to pause any changes to PIP until the Timms Review concludes in autumn 2026, and to co-produce any future reforms in genuine partnership with disabled people and the organisations that represent them.
Only by listening and working with lived experience can we build a fair and compassionate benefit system that is fit for purpose.
We thank every SIA member, supporter, and staff colleague who shared their story, wrote to MPs, and stood up for fairness. This victory belongs to you.
More information
SIA campaigns team: Glyn Hayes and Dr Dharshana Sridhar
Click on the image above to watch back Alison Bennett MP (Mid Sussex) speaking about one of her constituents Sarah who is a wheelchair user with spinal cord injury, and the huge impact changes to PIP would have on her independence and quality of life.
parliament live.tv – 1 July 2025