Epilepsy Society response to government benefit reforms
Clare Pelham, Chief Executive at the Epilepsy Society said: “We applaud any reforms that will help people with a disability back into work. Less than a third of people with epilepsy are in employment.
Disabled people need to be better supported in finding and remaining in employment. And employers need to be supported to make that happen. There needs to be greater awareness and understanding of epilepsy so that adjustments can be made to ensure a person is able to comfortably and safely perform their role, and colleagues feel confident in supporting them through a seizure. That way, work really becomes the greatest benefit of them all.
“At the Epilepsy Society we work with employers to combat the stigma that we know many people with epilepsy experience in the workplace. And we look forward to sharing the learnings from that experience with the government during the consultation.
But the government must also recognise where people with epilepsy cannot work and need the support of the welfare system. Although announced plans state that people with severe long-term health conditions will be protected and will not face reassessments, the charity is concerned about how people with epilepsy will be assessed.
“It is undeniable that epilepsy is a little-understood condition. For people with uncontrolled seizures, every day is a risky day. Will a seizure happen as they boil a kettle or cook the dinner? Will they fall against a hot radiator in the course of a seizure and sustain serious burns as a consequence? Will they fall down the stairs and break an arm or a leg as the result of a seizure? We stand ready to provide training to assessors to enable a better understanding of epilepsy.
The changes to benefits that have been announced ahead of details of the proposed support that will be available, have caused huge anxiety and stress to people with epilepsy. And stress itself can cause seizures. Our Helpline is available to provide emotional support to anyone affected. And we urge the government to clarify the impact of its proposals as soon as possible to provide peace of mind to disabled people that benefits will not be withdrawn or frozen before additional support is provided.
“There is nothing constructive or supportive about targeting the most vulnerable people in the country with announcements of benefit cuts. And even more so, when the information about planned increases in available support is not yet available. Surely, there is something awry in an economic strategy that begins a public expenditure reduction plan by targeting those least able to bear that burden."
Reforms to the benefits include:
- Tightening the eligibility rules for Personal Independence Payments, PIP from November 2026. People will need to score four points in one category rather than accumulating points over a range of tasks
- Increasing the number of face to face assessments, but those with the most severe long-term conditions should not face reassessment
- The work capability assessment will be scrapped from 2028 and instead claimants for health-related financial support will be assessed under the PIP system
- Incapacity benefits for existing claimants will be frozen at £97 per week from next April and reduced to £50 per week for new claimants from 2026/2027.
- For those on the new reduced rate who are unable to ever return to work, there will be an additional premium to protect their income
- The government will consult on delaying payment of incapacity benefits until someone turns 22, in order to prevent people moving straight from education to claiming benefits
- It hopes to introduce legislation which means that trying work will not automatically lead to a PIP or work capability reassessment
- It's proposed that a newly-designed "support conversation" will give people with a health condition or disability help to access work
- Consultations will start on the Access to Work scheme to help people stay in work.
These reforms to the benefits system, are part of government plans to tackle economic inactivity and save £5 billion per year by 2029/30.
If you are concerned about how the changes to benefits will affect you, please call our Helpline on 01494 601400 for emotional support and information.
For further help including a benefits calculator, go to Citizens Advice
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/benefits-introduction/what-benefits-can-i-get/