In March, the Government unveiled a deeply concerning plan to cut disability benefits and impose stricter criteria for Personal Independent Payments (PIP).
Nearly 200,000 people with a learning disability get PIP. It’s not a bonus or a luxury – it’s the money people use to pay for things like support to help with cooking or washing safely and going to the toilet, or higher energy bills from using specialist equipment at home.
"If I don’t get my PIP, I’d be in four walls. I’d be isolated, and shut off from the community" - Ismail, Mencap’s Parliamentary Officer
This support helps people live safely, independently, and with choice.
But if the UK Government’s plan goes ahead, some people with a learning disability could start to lose this vital support next year – even if they still need it every day. People with a learning disability and their families tell us they are filled with dread over what the future holds.
But you can ask your MP to vote against it.
Parliament is expected to start debating these changes to PIP in early summer. This is your chance to reach out to your MP and urge them to take a stand against these cuts. You can help your MP understand what PIP means for people with a learning disability and why it must be protected. We know that hearing from their constituents matters.
Here's how you can stand by people with a learning disability:
We've crafted a template message for you, but please feel free to include your own personal words.
If you have a learning disability and get PIP, share your personal story on how PIP helps you to live your life and the impact these cuts would have on you.
If you're a family carer, you can include how losing PIP could affect your loved one – and you. Around 150,000 carers may also lose their Carer's Allowance by 2029 due to the changes in PIP. If this would impact you or your family, please tell your MP what that would mean.