‘Unhelpful and ill-informed’: Charities slam Tony Blair think tank report on disability benefits
A report by the Tony Blair Institute proposing to restrict disability benefits for people with conditions like moderate depression, ADHD, and lower-back pain has been condemned by disability charities as 'unhelpful and ill-informed'. The think tank suggests reclassifying such conditions as 'non-work-limiting' to cut £11.5bn from welfare spending by 2029, using fast-tracked secondary legislation. Charities argue the plan ignores lived experiences and could increase poverty, while the DWP said it will consider the recommendations. The proposals echo earlier contested Labour plans to tighten eligibility for Personal Independence Payments.
- ▪The Tony Blair Institute report recommends excluding people with conditions such as moderate depression, ADHD, and lower-back pain from receiving disability benefits by classifying them as 'non-work-limiting'.
- ▪The proposed changes could save £11.5bn in welfare spending by 2029 and would be implemented via secondary legislation to limit parliamentary scrutiny.
- ▪Disability charities including Mencap and the MS Society have strongly criticized the report, warning it would deepen poverty and undermine public trust in the benefits system.
- ▪The DWP is currently reviewing the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, with spending on health and disability benefits rising from £49.1bn pre-pandemic to £77.1bn in the current financial year.
- ▪The government previously backed down on similar welfare changes after facing rebellion from over 100 Labour MPs and pressure from campaign groups.
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NewsUKHome News‘Unhelpful and ill-informed’: Charities slam Tony Blair think tank report on disability benefitsThe former PM’s firm put forward an ‘emergency handbrake’ plan for welfare spendingAlbert Toth Tuesday 28 April 2026 18:42 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966422","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/disability-benefits-welfare-spending-pip-tony-blair-dwp-b2966422.html","title":"Charities slam Tony Blair think tank report on disability benefits"}}July 2025: Senior Labour MP tells Starmer planned welfare…
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