The UK welfare bill passed Parliament with a majority of 75 votes after the government made significant last-minute concessions, including shelving planned cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to avoid a rebellion within the Labour Party. Despite these concessions, nearly 50 Labour MPs voted against the bill, and many disability charities and advocacy groups remain critical, warning that disabled people will still face harm, particularly due to cuts to Universal Credit health components. The reforms to PIP were heavily diluted, resulting in no immediate savings for the government. Labour’s Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, defended the bill and dismissed calls to resign amid the controversy. However, critics across parties describe the legislation as rushed and flawed, with some calling for it to be withdrawn or substantially revised. The government has promised further review of the PIP reforms before any future changes are introduced.
