Is welfare spending ''out of control''? It's estimated to be 11.1 per cent of GDP this financial year. That's just 1.1 per cent of GDP higher than in 2007-08, and total welfare spending has actually fallen by 0.9 per cent of GDP since 2012-13 ⤵️

New 🔦SPOTLIGHT 🔦Report by @citizensadvice.bsky.social finds UC can create barriers to victim-survivors of domestic abuse to financial independence and freedom. Based on frontline insights, the report highlights 6 common challenges faced by claimants. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Pretty stark that 90% of those responding to the Timms Review’s Call for Evidence said they had a negative experience claiming PIP. It’s not surprising, though - the current process is difficult, long and complex, and too many people are incorrectly rejected - like Jake:

Timms Review of PIP Interim Report out today - pleased to see them confirm what we see at @citizensadvice.bsky.social daily: a system that’s not fit for purpose. Last year we helped nearly 900 people a day with issues relating to claiming PIP - that's a clear sign the system is broken.

The Timms Review of Personal Independence Payment: interim report

gov.uk

Dame Clare Moriarty, CEO @citizensadvice.bsky.social on Timms interim report: “The Interim Report from the Timms Review confirms what we see daily: a system that is not fit for purpose. Our advisers helped nearly 900 people a day with issues claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP) last year.

Some shocking stats on the impact of frozen support for housing costs. Ending the freeze is a no-brainer for boosting living standards 👇

@julia-rt.bsky.social · 4w ago

Frozen housing costs support is putting unsustainable pressure on renters' budgets: 48% of private renters getting UC across the UK have cut back on essentials in the last 6 months The no. of private renters we helped w/ housing benefit, who were also referred to foodbanks is up 79% since 21/22

What is life like for people in their 60s today? We’re publishing the first two reports in our 'A Tale of Two 60s' series, shining a light on the challenges many face in their 60s.

Centre for Ageing Better@ageingbetter.bsky.social · last mo.

Today we publish our ‘A Tale of Two 60s’ research which shines a light on how life has changed for people aged 60-69 over the past two decades and how a large minority are living precariously in their later life.

Today, alongside the @healthfoundation.bsky.social , we’ve published a major report looking at the link between poor health and housing. Too many people in the UK live in homes that are making them sick and it’s worsening health inequalities. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Housing costs support is one of the most common issues we help low-income households with at @citizensadvice.bsky.social A big reason: private renters' UC housing support is frozen at rent levels from 2.5+yrs ago. And rents are up 16% since then. New blog from me + @drsarahhadfield.bsky.social 🧵

Feeling the freeze

How a failure to uprate housing support is causing hardship for low-income renters

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk

Some people who have migrated from legacy benefits like ESA to UC are finding less money in their pockets. Under transitional protection, they were told they would not be worse off, but a technicality in who manages Council Tax Support means that many are. wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/why-some-esa...

Why some ESA claimants are worse off after moving to Universal Credit

Since its introduction in 2013, Universal Credit (UC) has gradually replaced legacy benefits, including Employment and Support Allowance…

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk

The upcoming cut to Universal Credit will cut the health element in half for new claimants (£217/month instead of £430). If you become disabled in the future or your health gets worse, you could get significantly less support than those claiming today, creating a 2-tiered system:

Frances Ryan@francesryan.bsky.social · 4mo ago

“That the universal credit cut will affect new claimants says the quiet part out loud: anyone can become disabled or ill. And every time governments slash the safety net, we can’t know if it’ll be us, a loved one or stranger who will fall through it.” Today’s col www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Great blog from @niamhredgate.bsky.social on PIP delays: 📉 Overall PIP backlog is reducing (good news!) 📈 But no. of people waiting for new claim decisions has increased ⏲️ And average waiting times for a new claim are now 20 weeks, the highest in nearly 4 years

Niamh Redgate@niamhredgate.bsky.social · 4mo ago

More than 710,000 disabled people are waiting for PIP decisions, with new claim wait times now at 20 weeks. These delays can push people into poverty and worsen health conditions. My new blog breaks down the backlog and why the Timms Review must not lose sight of delays and the harm they cause.

Access to Work isn’t meeting its BIG potential! 🧵 New report out now: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

@citizensadvice.bsky.social helps 900 people a day with issues relating to the disability benefit PIP. That's a sign that the system isn't working as it should. The Timms review of PIP could be a chance to change that. We asked our advisers what it needs to get right: medium.com/p/5a3f881a08ee

3 things the Timms Review of PIP must achieve, according to Citizens Advice advisers

At Citizens Advice, we helped 225,000 people with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in 2025 alone. That means we have a unique insight…

medium.com

No mention here of the upcoming cut to Universal Credit, which will cost 700,000+ disabled people an average of £3,000 a year. From April, the health element of UC will be cut by nearly 50% for new claimants. Set out by @victoria-anns.bsky.social here: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

The Guardian@theguardian.com · 6mo ago

Labour’s new welfare changes are practical and compassionate – so why not loudly say so? | Polly Toynbee

The government is planning to merge two benefits to create 'unemployment insurance'. But this would end indefinite awards currently paid to many disabled people claiming new style ESA, making them time-limited instead. Great report from Craig breaking down the key issues 👇

Craig Berry@craigpberry.bsky.social · 7mo ago

The government wants to enhance contributory unemployment benefits - we’re good with that Contribution-based benefits can help the legitimacy of the welfare state. There is a catch though… www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

Disabled people are routinely shut out of employment. My brilliant colleagues @beccastacey.bsky.social and @victoria-anns.bsky.social draw on the experience of the people we support to chart a way forward 👇

Becca Stacey@beccastacey.bsky.social · 7mo ago

The Equality Act should protect disabled people at work But @citizensadvice.bsky.social supported 5,393 people with health-related job discrimination in 2025 - roughly one every 1.5 hours Mine and @victoria-anns.bsky.social's new report digs into the barriers our disabled clients face at work /1

The Equality Act should protect disabled people at work But @citizensadvice.bsky.social supported 5,393 people with health-related job discrimination in 2025 - roughly one every 1.5 hours Mine and @victoria-anns.bsky.social's new report digs into the barriers our disabled clients face at work /1

New consumer research out by Citizens Advice - reference pricing (i.e. ‘was £25, now £15’) makes consumers less likely to make the right choice when shopping online, with consumers experiencing poor mental health and financial insecurity hit harder. wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/beware-the-b...

Beware the bargain: how digital design tactics are harming consumers

Ever worried that when shopping online you’re being subtly influenced by the way digital platforms are designed? Well, we’ve just proved…

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk

Reminder - increasing the number of face-to-face assessments for PIP is a red herring. The success rates for face-to-face vs virtual assessments are very similar.

Claims for disability benefits are now falling, according to the OBR forecast

Sorry, no, Motability was not about 'helping the most vulnerable' - it was about providing people who need modified vehicles modified vehicles!

📰New @citizensadvice.bsky.social briefing ahead of the #Autumnbudget: The Government if failing private renters by freezing #LocalHousingAllowance #LHA.

New blog out today, as part of our work with @healthfoundation.bsky.social, looking at the unequal health impacts of the current system of housing cost support that fails to cover people's rent.

Citizens Advice@citizensadvice.bsky.social · 9mo ago

As the #AutumnBudget approaches, we're calling on the Chancellor to unfreeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to support people on low incomes as private rents continue to soar. Read more in our blog ⤵️ https://t.co/xTGMQRoFsk https://t.co/ijj5LHQyVC

📢Young disabled people could face benefit cuts of more than £420 a month if government plans go ahead. Young people deserve real support - not cuts that could push them into poverty. New blog from me & @victoria-anns.bsky.social: medium.com/p/62015a6f0b12

The government must cancel plans to cut disability benefits for young people

This blog has been co-written by Maddy Rose, Senior Policy Researcher, and Victoria Anns, Policy Researcher.

medium.com

There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system. Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts Spending is controlled, not spiralling Worklessness is near record lows My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...

DWP plans to introduce a ‘support conversation’ for disabled claimants who don’t currently meet a work coach. My new paper explores how this conversation can be done effectively and avoid causing harm 🧵 www.citizensadvice.org.uk/policy/publi...

📢No more waiting on the 5 week wait, says my @citizensadvice.bsky.social colleague @julia-rt.bsky.social The 5 week wait for a first UC payment means families end up in debt to DWP -leading to deductions from future payments that cause real hardship This needs to change medium.com/citizens-adv...

No more waiting on the 5 week wait

This autumn, the government has the chance to take action on one of Universal Credit’s longest-standing problems: “the 5 week wait”.

medium.com

Delays to benefit reassessments are leaving disabled people in limbo. Some are waiting *over a year* to be reassessed after their health declined & are missing out on vital £ support in the meantime. Great blog from @scollerton.bsky.social wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/work-capabil...

Work Capability Assessment delays are leaving disabled people in limbo

Disabled people can get extra support under Universal Credit (UC) if they’re found eligible after a Work Capability Assessment (WCA). But…

wearecitizensadvice.org.uk