The Lib Dem MP for Chichester, Jess Brown-Fuller, says more than 200 of her constituents have contacted her with concerns about potentially losing their Personal Independence Payments.
Currently, 6.3% of people in the district rely on PIP to help manage daily living or mobility needs.
Jess says she fears the proposed cuts could impact a wide range of individuals, but if the Labour government taxed the big social media and oil companies that would be a better way to fix the economy.
So, what are the planned changes to PIP that people are so worried about?
Major changes to the UK’s Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system are on the horizon, with the government aiming to slash £4.8 billion a year from welfare spending by 2029–30. But the proposed reforms are already raising alarms among disability advocates and thousands of current claimants.
One of the most talked-about changes is to the PIP daily living component. From November 2026, claimants will need to score at least four points in a single activity — rather than a total across several — to qualify. While the mobility element remains untouched, this tighter eligibility is expected to disqualify many people who currently receive support.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that around 400,000 fewer people will receive PIP as a result of the changes, even though the total number of recipients is still projected to rise due to population trends.
The government says the reforms are part of a wider push to support people with long-term health conditions into employment. It plans to launch a new £1 billion annual employment support programme by 2029–30.
However, critics argue the cuts could hit vulnerable people hard. DWP figures suggest around 3.2 million families could see their income drop — with average losses of £1,720 a year — and as many as 250,000 families could fall below the poverty line.
Labour MPs and disability rights groups are pushing back, calling the proposed cuts “impossible to support.” As debate continues, campaigners are urging the government to consult more closely with those affected and to rethink reforms that could risk worsening hardship for many already struggling to cope.
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