Thank you to the hundreds of constituents who have written to me regarding the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which passed its Second Reading this week.  

I understand the fear and confusion that many have had in the lead up to last night, and I’m disappointed that the way this Bill has been dealt with will have exacerbated that fear.  

I do believe that the welfare system is in need of fundamental reform. It is not right, and not fair for those stuck on benefits, that one in ten working age people are claiming a sickness or disability benefit; 1 million youngsters are out of work, education or training; and the number of people expected to claim personal independence payments (PIP) set to double this decade, to 4.3 million people.   

However, I want to be clear that I voted in favour of this Bill not because I agreed with everything written in the original version, but on the uplift in Universal Credit it offered, and on the basis of the changes the Government has promised will be made by the time it returns for its next Parliamentary stage. 

In my meeting with the Prime Minister last week, I discussed my concerns about the version of the Bill as originally introduced. I told him that many of the issues he wants to fix in the welfare system stem from Universal Credit being way too low. The stagnation in UC rates that see people receiving barely £100 per week is trapping people in poverty, and even those who do want to get off UC cannot afford to do so. That’s why the above inflation uplift in the standard allowance every year until 2029/30, working out around £725 per year for a single household aged 25+, is very welcome.  

On the UC health element of the Bill, I voted in favour on the basis that there will be significant changes, with the Government pledging to change clauses 2, 3, and 4. These will protect the standard allowance and health element for existing claimants, and protect those with lifelong conditions who won’t ever be expected to work.  

PIP eligibility was another area of the Bill many of my constituents were hugely concerned about. I spoke with the Work and Pensions Secretary to set out these concerns, and explained that as originally proposed, these changes would impact the 8,400 PIP claimants in Islington South and Finsbury. I’m glad the Government rightly listened to the concerns raised by many Labour MPs and has shelved any changes to PIP until they conduct and listen to the Timms Review. This review will be co-produced with disabled people and groups and is expected to conclude in Autumn 2026. I urge my constituents to contribute to this review. 

I did not get into politics to take money from sick and disabled people, and my continued support for this Bill relies on the positive changes the Government has promised.