The Work and Pensions Committee published the Government's response to its Get Britain Working: Pathways to work report on 24 October 20251. The Committee's report, published in July, had called for the Government to delay plans to reform UC Health until the full impact on people with health conditions was understood1.
The Committee Chair, Debbie Abrahams, set out the change that concerns the Committee. From April 2026, people with a new disability or health condition will receive half the financial support on UC Health, £54 per week, compared with someone with the same impairment or condition in March 2026, who will receive £105 per week1.
"This is not only discriminatory, but without mitigations, will potentially push more people with disabilities and health conditions into poverty, exacerbating their condition and pushing them further away from the labour market."
Abrahams also said the Committee recognised the compromises the Government made during the passage of the Universal Credit-PIP Bill, now the Universal Credit Act1. She cited an analysis estimating that up to £12.5bn could be saved in DWP spending from reduced Universal Credit health claims and boosted tax receipts before the end of the decade if the DWP focused on better, more personalised, employment and health support1.
The two weekly amounts, as given by the Committee, are:
| Claimant circumstances | Weekly UC Health amount |
|---|---|
| New disability or health condition from April 2026 | £54 |
| Same impairment or condition in March 2026 | £105 |
Why it matters for households
The figures concern the health element of Universal Credit, the part of the benefit paid to people assessed as having limited capability for work and work-related activity. The Committee's point is about timing: two people with the same impairment or condition could receive different weekly amounts depending on whether their claim falls before or after April 2026. On the Committee's figures, the difference is £51 a week, or £54 against £1051.
The Committee frames the consequence in terms of poverty risk for people with disabilities and health conditions, and says that without mitigations the change could also push people further from the labour market1. The Government's response itself has not been summarised in the Committee's announcement beyond the Chair's comments, and the response document has not been reported here in detail.
What happens next
The change described by the Committee takes effect from April 20261. The Committee's July report had asked the Government to delay the UC Health reforms until the full impact on people with health conditions was understood; the Government's response was published on 24 October 20251. No further dates have been reported.
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