ALLIANCE response to Pathways to Work Green Paper highlights deep concerns

Proposals to cut disability payments and a lack of consideration for devolution are amongst the serious issues in the plans.

The ALLIANCE have submitted a response to the UK Government’s consultation on the “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper“. This builds on the widely shared concerns that we have previously expressed, jointly with over 100 other charities, about the proposals to significantly cut social security. We are frustrated that many of the proposals in this Green Paper are not being consulted on, and that the Government appear to be taking earlier action in relation to some that are.

This raises serious questions about how meaningful this process has been. The public should be able to expect their governments to be open to scrutiny, challenge and new evidence. Papers putting forward a comprehensive and interconnected set of actions should be open to consultation on all the proposals it contains, and none of these actions should be progressed until the consultation has been closed and responses analysed.

Beyond the process, we are also deeply concerned by the content of the Green Paper. Our concerns cover four core areas:

• The role of austerity and health inequalities
• Cuts to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit health element
• Delivering a supportive rather than coercive approach to work
• Lack of consideration for devolution

Overall, we believe that the proposals carry a high risk of simply repeating past, failed patterns of welfare reform: tightened eligibility criteria and reduced payment values are introduced in an attempt to control costs; more people fall into poverty and qualify for income replacement or top up payments due to inadequate income; many others are incentivised to claim for more generous payments with less onerous work seeking obligations; and projected savings are ultimately not realised.

We all wish to see the best possible health and employment outcomes for disabled people and people living with long term conditions. The right to work is a fundamental human right and one that is too often denied by a society that does not do enough to enable equal participation. The right to social security is no less important, and decision makers must recognise it as a right and an investment as is the case in Scotland following the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, rather than viewing it as a privilege.

We hope the UK Government can act quickly to address our concerns, and work towards a human rights based social security system which is non-stigmatising, ensures those in need are guaranteed an adequate income, and which enables access to rewarding employment. We note that the UK Government have this week stated their intention to further consult on changes to PIP, and the ALLIANCE will be submitting a further response to that consultation.

You can read our full response via the resource links below.

End of page.