‘Disappointment’ as vote for no discussion at council on motion over disability benefit cuts

Thanet’s Green & Independent Group leader Councillor Tricia Austin says she is ‘disappointed’ that a bid to debate government cuts to disability benefits during the last full council meeting was voted down by a Labour Group ‘block.’

The motion called on council leader Rick Everrit to contact the Government asking it not to implement the cuts agreed in Parliament,

The vote not to debate the motion meant it received no further time during the meeting.

Council rules required the motion to be submitted before the debate took place in the Commons, which meant that once the rebels in Parliament had succeeded in getting amends to the original bill, the motion had to be tweaked to reflect the changes.

In responding, Cllr Everitt, acknowledged the Greens had been ‘shooting at a moving target’ with their motion, but stated that in his view they had not quite hit it, citing East Thanet MP Polly Billington’s support for the amended bill.

However, he acknowledged the changes were already having an impact in Thanet, citing the time Deputy Leader Councillor Helen Whitehead had been spending advising and supporting residents likely to be affected.

The Bill aimed to make changes to disability benefits with expected savings of some £5 billion in 2029 to 2030 and included changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) with eligibility tightened from November 2026, more face to face assessments, the scrapping of the work capability assessment, a freeze on incapacity benefits under universal credit for existing claimants and a reduction to payment levels for new claimants.

However, in the face of the rebellion the government made some last minute concessions.

First, all people currently receiving PIP will continue to receive their current entitlement.

Secondly, Universal Credit payment rates for all existing recipients of the UC health element — and any new claimant meeting the severe conditions criteria —  will not be cut. However, new universal credit (UC) health element claimants from April 2026 will still see their UC health element almost halved and frozen.

PIP claimants will no longer have to score four points or more in a single category of their benefit assessment in order to qualify for the benefit.

The implications of the Bill will be reviewed by disability minister Stephen Timms and co-produced with Disabled people, and this will precede any PIP eligibility changes. A package of promised employment support measures will be brought forward.

Cllr Austin, said: “It was deeply disappointing to see our colleagues in the Labour Group vote not to debate this motion, though they are already seeing the negative impact the Government’s plans will have in Thanet.”

Local disability campaigner Christine Tongue from Access Thanet, who had advised Cllr Austin on the motion and attended the meeting, added: “It’s incredibly disappointing to not even debate this important motion.”

During the meeting Cllr Everitt said he knew there had been “widespread concern” and would not defend the original bill but outlined the changes made to it and the need to take action over a ‘broken system.’

He added: “We can offer public commentary on decisions already taken in Westminster but if the government hasn’t got the message at this point then realistically I don’t think it’s going to respond to a debate in this chamber.”