The UK government is set to announce a crackdown on the country’s “sick note culture”, with changes to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system that could see disabled people being stripped of monthly cash payments.
The proposed changes, championed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, are aimed at targeting those with mild mental health conditions that the government believes should not prevent individuals from working. Instead of cash payments, vouchers or treatment may be given as alternatives.
Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is expected to address the Commons on Tuesday about the plans, which will be published in a “green paper” consultation. The consultation is expected to reference similar models in other countries, such as New Zealand and Norway, where health practitioners verify extra costs associated with disabilities.
Currently, around 2.6 million people of working age receive PIP every month, with the annual cost of the program forecasted to rise by 50% in four years. The government believes that the growth in PIP claims, particularly for mental health conditions, is due to over-labelling and aims to differentiate between conditions that make work impossible and those that do not.
Critics have raised concerns about the availability of alternative support, especially given the long waiting lists for NHS mental health services. However, Mr. Stride maintains that the government is prioritizing this issue and pointed to recent announcements of more talking therapies as evidence.
The government insists that the changes are aimed at helping people get back into work rather than cost-cutting, but acknowledges the significant increase in PIP spend in the coming years. The proposed reforms have sparked debate and controversy, with some questioning the impact on disabled individuals and the effectiveness of the proposed alternatives to cash payments.