Universal Credit Act 2025

39

Clause 1, page 1, line 21, leave out subsection (4) and insert—<br> “(4) The relevant uplift percentage for tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30 is 4.8%.”

<p>This amendment would apply the full standard allowance uplift percentage currently specified in clause 1 of the Bill for 2029-30 to all preceding years 2026-27 to 2028-29 as well.</p>

41

Clause 1, page 2, line 29, at end insert—<br> “(8) This section, so far as it relates to tax years up to and including 2027-28, comes into force on the day on which this Act is passed.<br> (9) This section, so far as it relates to tax year 2028-29, comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint.<br> (10) Regulations under subsection (9) may not be made unless, on a date not before 1 October 2027, a draft of the statutory instrument containing them has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the House of Commons.<br> (11) This section, so far as it relates to tax year 2029-30, comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint.<br> (12) Regulations under subsection (11) may not be made unless, on a date not before 1 October 2028, a draft of the statutory instrument containing them has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the House of Commons.”

<p>This amendment provides for separate decisions by the House of Commons on the continued effect of Clause 1 for the final two tax years affected.</p>

53

Clause 4, page 4, line 20, at end insert—<br> “(4) This section comes into force when the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 4 conditional on the requirements relating to welfare reform set out in NC12.</p>

45

Clause 5, page 5, line 16, at end insert—<br> “(1A) In section 77 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, after subsection (2) insert—<br> “(2A) A person’s eligibility for personal independence payment may only be determined following a face-to-face meeting between that person and a person acting on behalf of the Secretary of State.<br> (2B) The Secretary of State may, by regulations, specify any limited circumstances in which a face-to-face meeting is not appropriate.””

<p>This amendment requires eligibility for personal independence payment to be determined on the basis of a face-to-face meeting but with the discretion for the Secretary of State to set out the limited circumstances where that would be inappropriate.</p>

46

Clause 5, page 5, line 17, leave out “Subsection (1)” and insert “Subsections (1) and (1A)”

<p>This amendment and Amendments 47 and 48 make provision for the coming into force of Amendment 45.</p>

43

Clause 5, page 5, line 18, at end insert “but no day may be appointed until the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement requirements: Human rights analysis</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 5 conditional on the pre-commencement requirements set out in NC10.</p>

54

Clause 5, page 5, line 18, at end insert “but no day may be appointed until the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 5 conditional on the requirements relating to welfare reform set out in NC12.</p>

47

Clause 5, page 5, line 21, leave out “subsection (1)” and insert “subsections (1) and (1A)”

<p>See explanatory note for Amendment 46.</p>

48

Clause 5, page 5, line 26, at end insert—<br> “(4A) The powers under subsections (2) to (4) must be exercised so as to secure full implementation of subsection (1A) in relation to all assessments carried out on or after 6 April 2027.”

<p>See explanatory note for Amendment 46.</p>

55

Clause 6, page 5, line 31, at end insert—<br> “(2) This section comes into force when the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 6 and Schedule 2 conditional on the requirements relating to welfare reform set out in NC12.</p>

NC8

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Implementation of Timms review</b><br> (1) Within one month of the publication of the review into Personal Independence Payment assessment the terms of reference of which were published by the Secretary of State on 30 June 2025 (“the review”), the Secretary of State must publish a draft version of primary legislation setting out proposed measures to give effect to the recommendations of the review.<br> (2) No power to make regulations under Part 4 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 may be exercised to give effect to any proposal arising from the review in a way which adversely affects the eligibility for personal independence payment of any person.”

NC9

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Effects of the Act on fraud and error</b><br> (1) No later than twelve months after this Act is passed, the Secretary of State must lay before the House of Commons a report on the effect of the provisions of this Act on levels of fraud and error relating to Universal Credit.<br> (2) The report must assess—<br> (a) the estimated monetary value of fraud and error arising as a result of the provisions of this Act;<br> (b) any implications for future adjustments to Universal Credit rates determined under the provisions of this Act.”

NC10

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Pre-commencement condition: Human rights analysis</b><br> (1) This Act (other than section 1, section 4(1), this section, section 7 and paragraphs 1 and 3(1) of Schedule 2) may only come into force if the conditions in subsections (2) to (4) are met.<br> (2) The condition in this subsection is that, within six months of the passing of this Act, a Human Rights memorandum is laid before the House of Commons which sets out a human rights analysis of this Act.<br> (3) The condition in this subsection is that the memorandum produced under subsection (2) must include an analysis of—<br> (a) the compatibility of this Act with the Human Rights Act 1998, including Articles 3, 8 and 14 (prohibition of inhuman treatment, respect for private life, and protection against discrimination),<br> (b) an assessment of this Act against United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Articles 19, 28, and 4 (independent living, adequate standard of living, and obligation to consult disabled people),<br> (c) an assessment of this Act against International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Articles 9 and 11 (Right to Social Security and Right to an Adequate Standard of Living),<br> (d) any steps taken to mitigate disproportionate impacts on persons with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.<br> (4) The condition in this subsection is that—<br> (a) a period of 21 days on which the Commons has sat has elapsed since the condition in subsection (2) was met, and<br> (b) during the period specified in paragraph (a), the House of Commons has not come to a resolution that the provisions of the Act (other than section 1, section 4(1), this section, section 7 and paragraphs 1 and 3(1) of Schedule 2) shall not come into force.”

<p>This new clause provides for most provisions of the Act not to come into force until a human rights analysis has been produced and then only unless the House of Commons does not resolve that they should not come into force.</p>

NC11

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Conduct and oversight of the Timms review</b><br> (1) The Secretary of State must ensure that the review into Personal Independence Payment assessment the terms of reference of which were published by the Secretary of State on 30 June 2025 (“the review”) is conducted in accordance with the principles set out in Article 4(3) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.<br> (2) The final report of the review must be laid before the House of Commons within twelve months of the day on which this Act is passed.<br> (3) No actions may be taken by the Secretary of State as a result of the review which change eligibility for personal independence payment or the assessment process until—<br> (a) a statement of the proposals has been laid before the House of Commons, and<br> (b) the House of Commons has come to a resolution approving that statement.<br> (4) The Secretary of State must establish a Disability Co-Production Taskforce (“the Taskforce”) to provide independent oversight of—<br> (a) the conduct of the review and the preparation of the final report,<br> (b) any proposals developed for the purposes of subsection (3)(a).<br> (5) The Taskforce must—<br> (a) be provided with support by the Government Equalities Office,<br> (b) be chaired by an independent person appointed by the Secretary of State,<br> (c) have a majority of members who are disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations; and<br> (d) include such other persons or representatives of such organisations as the chair considers relevant to the effects of the review and proposals developed for the purposes of subsection (3)(a) on disabled people.<br> (6) The Secretary of State must lay before the House of Commons in each calendar year subsequent to that in which the final report of the review is published a report on—<br> (a) the implementation of any proposals contained in a statement approved under subsection (3)(b); and<br> (b) the impact of that implementation on disabled people.”

<p>This new clause makes provision for co-production of the Timms review and parliamentary and other oversight of subsequent implementation.</p>

NC12

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</b><br> (1) This Act (other than this section and section 7) may only come into force if the conditions in subsection (2) to (4) are met.<br> (2) The condition in this subsection is that Secretary of State has laid before the House of Commons the final report of the review into Personal Independence Payment assessment the terms of reference of which were published by the Secretary of State on 30 June 2025.<br> (3) The condition in this subsection is that the Secretary of State has subsequently laid before the House of Commons a document containing proposals for the reform of—<br> (a) the standard allowance, the LCWRA element and the LCW element of Universal Credit;<br> (b) personal independence payment eligibility and its assessment.<br> (4) The condition in this subsection is that the proposals laid before the House under subsection (3) include proposals to—<br> (a) reduce entitlement to personal independence payment and the LCWRA element and the LCW element of Universal Credit for those whose qualification for these benefits is incapacity or disability deriving from less severe mental health conditions; and<br> (b) limit eligibility for the personal independence payment and the LCRWA element and the LCW element of Universal Credit to British citizens, excluding all foreign nationals unless already entitled under international treaty obligations in force on the day on which this Act was passed.<br> (5) A document containing proposals meeting the condition in subsection (3) may also contain proposals for other welfare reforms.<br> (6) In this section—<br> (a) “the LCWRA element” and “the LCW element” have the same meaning as in section 3;<br> (b) “the standard allowance” has the same meaning as in section 3.<br> (c) “British citizen” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the British Nationality Act 1981.”

<p>This new clause provides for most provisions of the Act not to come into force until reform proposals on Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment have been laid before the House of Commons.</p>

38

Schedule 1, page 6, leave out lines 33 and 34 and insert—<br> “(b) has either—<br> (i) been entitled to an award of universal credit that included the LCWRA element continuously from that time, or<br> (ii) at any time after that time become entitled again to an award of universal credit that included the LCWRA element as a result of a fluctuating medical condition or the recurrence of a medical condition.”

44

Schedule 1, page 7, line 15, at end insert “, or<br> (b) if the circumstances set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 9 (receiving treatment for cancer) apply to the claimant.”

<p>This amendment ensures that those diagnosed with and receiving treatment for cancer are included within the definition of “severe conditions criteria claimant” and are thereby entitled to the higher rate of LCWRA.</p>

7(b)

Line 5, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

7(c)

Line 9, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

50

Clause 1, page 2, line 29, at end insert—<br> “(8) This section comes into force when the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 1 conditional on the requirements relating to welfare reform set out in NC12.</p>

2(b)

Line 6, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>This amendment (together with Amendment 2(c) to Amendment 2, Amendments 20 to 30 and Amendments 7(b) and 7(c) to Amendment 7) provides that the universal credit health top-up changes only take effect for claimants after 1 November 2026.</p>

2(c)

Line 10, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

42

Clause 2, page 3, line 3, leave out from “Schedule 1” to end of line 6 and insert “may not come into force until the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement condition: Human rights analysis</i>] have been met.<br> (4) If the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement condition: Human rights analysis</i>] have been met prior to 6 April 2026, this section and Schedule 1 shall come into force on 6 April 2026 and have effect in relation to assessment periods commencing on or after that date, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.<br> (5) If the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement condition: Human rights analysis</i>] have not been met prior to 6 April 2026, but are met on a subsequent day, this section and Schedule 1 shall come into force on the first day of the calendar month after that day and have effect in relation to assessment periods commencing on or after that date, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 2 and Schedule 1 conditional on the pre-commencement requirements set out in NC10.</p>

51

Clause 2, page 3, line 3, leave out from “Schedule 1” to end of line 6 and insert “may not come into force until the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met.<br> (4) If the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met prior to 6 April 2026, this section and Schedule 1 shall come into force on 6 April 2026 and have effect in relation to assessment periods commencing on or after that date, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.<br> (5) If the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have not been met prior to 6 April 2026, but are met on a subsequent day, this section and Schedule 1 shall come into force on the first day of the calendar month after that day and have effect in relation to assessment periods commencing on or after that date, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 2 and Schedule 1 conditional on the requirements relating to welfare reform set out in NC12.</p>

52

Clause 3, page 3, line 19, at end insert—<br> “(3) This section comes into force when the conditions in section [<i>Commencement requirements relating to welfare reform</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 3 conditional on the requirements relating to welfare reform set out in NC12.</p>

40

Clause 4, page 3, line 26, leave out subsections (2) and (3)

<p>This amendment removes the freeze of the disability, income-related and work-related activity components of Employment and Support Allowance up to 2029-30.</p>

2(a)

Line 5, leave out "£217.26" and insert "£423.27"

<p>This amendment would continue the level of the Universal Credit health element at £423.27 for all new claimants and not the proposed lower rate.</p>

37

Clause 5, page 4, line 23, at beginning insert—<br> “(A1) In regulation 4 of the Social Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013, after paragraph (1) insert—<br> “(1A) Any assessment carried out under paragraph (1) is to be carried out by an employee of the Secretary of State.”<br> (A2) Subsection (A1) comes into force at the end of the period of one year beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.”

NC4

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Duty to have due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities</b><br> In exercising any power under this Act, the Secretary of State must have due regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

NC5

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Review of impact of Act</b><br> (1) The Secretary of State must, within six months of this Act being passed, publish and lay before the House of Commons a report assessing the impact of this Act.<br> (2) The report must consider any impacts the Act has on—<br> (a) levels of poverty;<br> (b) matters relating to seasonal employment;<br> (c) people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.<br> (3) In considering any impacts as set out in subsection (2), the report must take account of any particular effects on coastal communities.”

NC6

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Duty to notify affected disabled people</b><br> (1) The Secretary of State must, before the end of a period of three months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed, take the steps set out in this section.<br> (2) The first step is to take all reasonable actions to identify each disabled person who will be affected by any provision of this Act or any decision of the Secretary of State taken under or by virtue of this Act and the most appropriate and accessible means of contacting them.<br> (3) The second step is to inform each disabled person so identified about—<br> (a) the specific changes to legislation, policy or entitlements under or by virtue of this Act that affect that person;<br> (b) the Secretary of State’s assessment of how those changes are likely to affect that person’s eligibility, support or services;<br> (c) the Secretary of State’s estimate of any financial impact, including any reduction in benefits or support, expressed in pounds sterling per week, month or year, as applicable;<br> (d) that person’s right to seek advice about or appeal any decisions made under or by virtue of this Act that affect that person and the means by which they may do so.<br> (4) The information provided under subsection (3) must be communicated in an accessible format appropriate to the individual's needs, including but not limited to large print, Braille, easy read, British Sign Language (BSL) or digital accessible formats, and must be provided in plain English.<br> (5) In this section, “disabled person” has the same meaning as in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010.”

<p>This new clause requires each disabled person affected by the provisions of the Bill to be informed about how it affects them in an appropriate and accessible manner.</p>

NC7

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Duty to consult organisations representing disabled people and carers before making regulations</b><br> (1) Before exercising any power to make regulations under this Act, the relevant authority must take the steps set out in this section.<br> (2) The first step is to notify such organisations as, in the opinion of the relevant authority, represent the interests of disabled people and carers about the proposed exercise of the power in a manner which is, in the opinion of the relevant authority, accessible.<br> (3) The second step is to provide the organisations mentioned in subsection (2) with sufficient information and a reasonable opportunity to make representations about the proposed exercise of the power.<br> (4) The third step is to lay before the House of Commons—<br> (a) a summary of responses received during consultation with the organisations mentioned in subsection (2);<br> (b) a statement about the extent to which the proposed exercise of the power has been revised in the light of those responses.<br> (5) In this section—<br> (a) “disabled people” shall be construed in accordance with the reference to a disabled person in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010;<br> (b) “carers” shall be construed in accordance with the reference to a carer in section 10 of the Care Act 2014;<br> (c) “the relevant authority” means—<br> (i) the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, in respect of any power under Schedule 2, and<br> (ii) the Secretary of State in respect of all other powers.”

<p>This new clause requires organisations representing disabled people and carers to be consulted about the proposed exercise of any regulation-making power under the Bill.</p>

31

Schedule 2, page 12, line 4, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 19.</p>

32

Schedule 1, page 7, line 21, leave out “constantly”

<p>This amendment, and Amendment 35, amends the severe conditions criteria to provide that the descriptor does not have to apply constantly or at all times; it just has to apply and be related to a life-long condition.</p>

33

Schedule 1, page 7, line 31, leave out “in the course of the provision of NHS services”

<p>This amendment, and Amendment 34, removes the requirement for the diagnosis to be made by a health professional working in the NHS when the diagnosis was made.</p>

34

Schedule 1, page 7, line 37, leave out “in the course of the provision of NHS services”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 33.</p>

36

Schedule 1, page 7, line 37, at end insert—<br> “(3A) Any assessment to determine whether a claimant is a severe conditions criteria claimant must be carried out with regard to the United Kingdom’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”

35

Schedule 1, page 7, leave out lines 38 to 41

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 32.</p>

7(a)

Line 4, leave out “£217.26” and insert “£423.27”

<p>This would mean Amendment 2(a) would apply in Northern Ireland.</p>

19

Clause 2, page 2, line 34, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>This amendment (together with Amendments 20 to 31) provides that the universal credit health top-up changes only take effect for claimants after 1 November 2026.</p>

20

Clause 2, page 3, line 3, leave out “6 April” and insert “1 November”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

18

Clause 5, page 5, line 26, at end insert—<br> “(4A) In section 77 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, after subsection (2) insert—<br> “(2A) A person is not entitled to personal independence payment unless the person is a British citizen within the meaning in Part 1 of the British Nationality Act 1981.”<br> (4B) Subsection (4A) comes into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.”

<p>This amendment would provide that people who are not British citizens would be ineligible for the personal independence payment.</p>

21

Schedule 1, page 6, line 7, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

22

Schedule 1, page 6, line 13, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

23

Schedule 1, page 6, line 27, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

24

Schedule 1, page 6, line 29, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

25

Schedule 1, page 6, line 31, leave out “6 April” and insert “1 November”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

26

Schedule 2, page 11, line 5, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

27

Schedule 2, page 11, line 11, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

28

Schedule 2, page 11, line 25, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

29

Schedule 2, page 11, line 27, leave out “pre-2026” and insert “pre-November 2026”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

30

Schedule 2, page 11, line 29, leave out “6 April” and insert “1 November”

<p>See explanatory statement for Amendment 2(b) to Amendment 2.</p>

1

Clause 1, page 2, line 25, leave out second “and” and insert “to”

<p>This amendment provides for definitions relating to tax years to apply for the purposes of NC1.</p>

2

Clause 2, page 2, line 31, leave out subsection (1) and insert—<br> “(1) In the table in regulation 36 of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013 (amounts of elements)—<br> (a) before the row showing the amount for limited capability for work and work-related activity (“the existing row”) insert—<br> “<table class="top-and-bottom tableleft width-100" cols="2"><tbody class="left"><tr><td><p>claimant with limited capability for work and work-related activity, other than a pre-2026 claimant, a severe conditions criteria claimant or a claimant who is terminally ill</p></td><td><p>£217.26</p></td></tr></tbody></table>”;<br> (b) in the existing row, for “limited capability for work and work-related activity” substitute “pre-2026 claimant, severe conditions criteria claimant or claimant who is terminally ill”.”

<p>This amendment is a technical change designed to support the operation of the new duty of the Secretary of State (see NC1) to secure that Universal Credit for LCWRA claimants who are existing claimants, meet the severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill increases in line with inflation.</p>

12

Clause 2, page 3, line 3, leave out from “Schedule 1” to end of line 6 and insert “may not come into force until the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement requirements</i>] have been met.<br> (4) If the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement requirements</i>] have been met prior to 6 April 2026, this section and Schedule 1 shall come into force on 6 April 2026 and have effect in relation to assessment periods commencing on or after that date, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.<br> (5) If the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement requirements</i>] have not been met prior to 6 April 2026, but are met on a subsequent day, this section and Schedule 1 shall come into force on the first day of the calendar month after that day and have effect in relation to assessment periods commencing on or after that date, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 2 and Schedule 1 conditional on the pre-commencement requirements set out in NC2.</p>

16

Page 3, line 20, leave out Clause 4

14

Page 2, line 30, leave out Clause 2

15

Page 3, line 7, leave out Clause 3

3

Clause 4, page 3, line 32, at end insert—<br> “(2A) Where it is necessary in order to achieve the result in subsection (2B) for any of the tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30, the Secretary of State must exercise the power in section 4(2)(a) or (6)(c) of the Welfare Reform Act 2007 to increase—<br> (a) any amount of an ESA IR disability premium for that tax year,<br> (b) the ESA IR support component for that tax year, or<br> (c) any amount of the ESA IR personal allowance for that tax year.<br> (2B) The result to be achieved for a tax year (“the current tax year”) is that for each combination of amounts referred to in subsection (2A)(a) to (c) to which a person could be entitled, the sum of those amounts for the current tax year is at least (in each case) the amount given by increasing—<br> (a) the sum of those amounts for the previous tax year, by<br> (b) the relevant CPI percentage for the current tax year.”

<p>This amendment imposes a duty on the Secretary of State to secure that the employment and support allowance for claimants who receive a disability premium or the support component increases in line with inflation.</p>

13

Clause 5, page 5, line 18, at end insert “but no day may be appointed until the conditions in section [<i>Pre-commencement requirements</i>] have been met.”

<p>This amendment makes the commencement of Clause 5 conditional on the pre-commencement requirements set out in NC2.</p>

4

Page 4, line 22, leave out Clause 5

<p>This amendment leaves out the personal independence payment clause.</p>

5

Clause 7, page 5, line 34, leave out “and Personal Independence Payment”

<p>This amendment amends the short title in consequence of Amendments 4 and 10.</p>

NC1

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Protected LCWRA amount for tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30</b><br> (1) Where it is necessary in order to achieve the result in subsection (2) for any of the tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30, the Secretary of State must exercise the power in section 9(2) or 12(3) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 to increase—<br> (a) the protected LCWRA amount for that tax year, or<br> (b) any amount of the standard allowance for that tax year.<br> (2) The result to be achieved for a tax year (“the current tax year”) is that for each combination of the protected LCWRA amount and an amount of the standard allowance, the sum of those amounts for the current tax year is at least (in each case) the amount given by increasing—<br> (a) the sum of those amounts for the previous tax year, by<br> (b) the relevant CPI percentage for the current tax year.<br> (3) In this section—<br> (a) “the protected LCWRA amount” means the amount of the LCWRA element that applies to a pre-2026 claimant, a severe conditions criteria claimant or a claimant who is terminally ill (within the meanings of the Universal Credit Regulations 2013);<br> (b) “the LCWRA element” has the meaning it has in section 3;<br> (c) “the standard allowance” means the allowance to be included in an award of universal credit under section 9(1) of the Welfare Reform Act 2012;<br> (d) reference to an amount or allowance “for” a tax year means the amount or allowance applicable for any assessment period commencing on or after the first Monday of that tax year and before the first Monday of the following tax year, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 1 of that Act.<br> (4) In this section and in section 4—<br> (a) the “relevant CPI percentage” for a tax year is the percentage by which the consumer prices index for the September before the start of the tax year is higher than it was for the September before that (or 0% if it is not higher);<br> (b) the “consumer prices index” means the all items consumer prices index published by the Statistics Board.”

<p>This new clause imposes a duty on the Secretary of State to secure that Universal Credit for LCWRA claimants who are existing claimants, meet the severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill increases in line with inflation.</p>

NC2

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Pre-commencement conditions</b><br> (1) This Act (other than section 1, section 4(1), this section, section 7 and paragraphs 1 and 3(1) of Schedule 2) may only come into force if the conditions in subsection (2) and (3) are met.<br> (2) The condition in this subsection is that the following documents have been laid before the House of Commons—<br> (a) a report by the Secretary of State on the outcome of consultation on the provisions of this Act with—<br> (i) disabled people,<br> (ii) their carers, and<br> (iii) organisations that represent disabled people and their carers,<br> <span class="wrapped">including a summary of those responses, including proposals relating to implementation;</span><br> (b) a report by the Office for Budget Responsibility on its analysis of the effects on employment of the provisions of this Act;<br> (c) a statement by the Secretary of State on the timetable for changes in the levels of resources for employment support related to the implementation of the provisions of this Act;<br> (d) an impact assessment by the Secretary of State for the provisions of this Act, including a statement of the expected number of individuals and children who may be at risk of falling into poverty;<br> (e) a statement of an assessment by the Secretary of State of the impact of the provisions of this Act on health and social care needs, including demand for services;<br> (f) the final report of the review into Personal Independence Payment assessment the terms of reference of which were published by the Secretary of State on 30 June 2025; and<br> (g) the final report of the independent review by Sir Charlie Mayfield into the role of employers and government in supporting employment of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.<br> (3) The condition in this subsection is that—<br> (a) a period of 21 days on which the House of Commons has sat has elapsed since the condition in subsection (2) was met, and<br> (b) during the period specified in paragraph (a), the House of Commons has not come to a resolution that the provisions of the Act (other than section 1, section 4(1), this section, section 7 and paragraphs 1 and 3(1) of Schedule 2) shall not come into force.”

<p>This new clause provides for most provisions of the Act not to come into force until certain documents have been produced and then only unless the House of Commons does not resolve that they should not come into force.</p>

NC3

To move the following Clause—<br> <b>“Impact of provisions of the Act on carers</b><br> (1) The Secretary of State must, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay before the House of Commons a report assessing the impact of the provisions of this Act on carers.<br> (2) A report under subsection (1) must include—<br> (a) an assessment of the financial, social and administrative impact on carers in general, including unpaid carers and those providing care on an informal or part-time basis;<br> (b) an assessment of the impact on individuals currently in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, including any changes to their entitlement, income, or eligibility status resulting from this Act;<br> (c) an assessment of the impact on individuals who, but for the passage of this Act, would have become eligible for Carer’s Allowance;<br> (d) consideration of the effects on carers’ access to support services, employment, education, and mental and physical health;<br> (e) an equality impact analysis, with reference to carers with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010; and<br> (f) a statement of any proposed mitigation strategies or policy changes to address identified negative impacts on carers.<br> (3) The Secretary of State must consult with relevant stakeholders, including carer representative organisations, local authorities, and individuals with lived experience of caring, in preparing the report under subsection (1).”

<p>This new clause requires the preparation of a report on the impact of the provisions of the Bill on carers.</p>

17

Schedule 1, page 7, line 23, at end insert “, or<br> (ii) applies to the claimant as a result of a fluctuating condition, such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis.”

<p>This amendment would ensure that whether a person has a fluctuating condition such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis is a factor in assessing whether the person qualifies as a severe conditions criteria claimant.</p>

6

Schedule 2, page 10, line 33, leave out “paragraph 3” and insert “paragraphs 2A and 3”

<p>This amendment provides for definitions relating to tax years to apply for the purposes of the paragraph of Schedule 2 to be inserted by Amendment 8.</p>

7

Schedule 2, page 12, line 1, leave out sub-paragraph (5) and insert—<br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(5)</span><span class="sub-para-text">In the table in regulation 38 (amounts of elements)—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">before the row showing the amount for limited capability for work and work-related activity (“the existing row”) insert—</span></span><br> “<table class="top-and-bottom tableleft width-100" cols="2"><tbody class="left"><tr><td><p>claimant with limited capability for work and work-related activity, other than a pre-2026 claimant, a severe conditions criteria claimant or a claimant who is terminally ill</p></td><td><p>£217.26</p></td></tr></tbody></table>”;<br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">in the existing row, for “limited capability for work and work-related activity” substitute “pre-2026 claimant, severe conditions criteria claimant or claimant who is terminally ill”.”</span></span>

<p>This amendment is a technical change designed to support the operation of the new duty of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland (see amendment 8) to secure that Universal Credit for LCWRA claimants who are existing claimants, meet the severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill increases in line with inflation.</p>

8

Schedule 2, page 14, line 27, at end insert—<br> <i class="text-centre">“Protected LCWRA amount for tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30</i><br> 2A <span class="sub-para subparagraph"><span class="sub-para-num">(1)</span><span class="sub-para-text">Where it is necessary in order to achieve the result in sub-paragraph (2) for any of the tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30, the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland must exercise the power in Article 14(2) or 17(3) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015 to increase—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the protected LCWRA amount for that tax year, or</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">any amount of the standard allowance for that tax year.</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(2)</span><span class="sub-para-text">The result to be achieved for a tax year (“the current tax year”) is that for each combination of the protected LCWRA amount and an amount of the standard allowance, the sum of those amounts for the current tax year is at least (in each case) the amount given by increasing—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the sum of those amounts for the previous tax year, by</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the relevant CPI percentage for the current tax year.</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(3)</span><span class="sub-para-text">In this paragraph—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">“the protected LCWRA amount” means the amount of the LCWRA element that applies to a pre-2026 claimant, a severe conditions criteria claimant or a claimant who is terminally ill (within the meanings of the Universal Credit Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016);</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">“the LCWRA element” has the meaning given by regulation 28 of those Regulations;</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(c)</span><span class="sub-para-text">“the standard allowance” means the allowance to be included in an award of universal credit under Article 14(1) of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015;</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(d)</span><span class="sub-para-text">reference to an amount or allowance “for” a tax year means the amount or allowance applicable for any assessment period commencing on or after the first Monday of that tax year and before the first Monday of the following tax year, and for this purpose “assessment period” has the same meaning as in Part 2 of that Order.</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(4)</span><span class="sub-para-text">In this paragraph and in paragraph 3—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the “relevant CPI percentage” for a tax year is the percentage by which the consumer prices index for the September before the start of the tax year is higher than it was for the September before that (or 0% if it is not higher);</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the “consumer prices index” means the all items consumer prices index published by the Statistics Board.”</span></span>

<p>This amendment imposes a duty on the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland to secure that Universal Credit for LCWRA claimants who are existing claimants, meet the severe conditions criteria or are terminally ill increases in line with inflation.</p>

9

Schedule 2, page 14, line 34, at end insert—<br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(1A)</span><span class="sub-para-text">Where it is necessary in order to achieve the result in sub-paragraph (1B) for any of the tax years 2026-27 to 2029-30, the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland must exercise the power in section 4(2)(a) or (6)(c) of the Welfare Reform Act (Northern Ireland) 2007 to increase—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">any amount of the severe disability premium or enhanced disability premium specified in Part 3 of Schedule 4 to the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 (S.R. (N.I.) 2008 No. 280) for that tax year (so far as prescribed under section 4(2)(a) of that Act),</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the amount specified in paragraph 13 of Part 4 of that Schedule for that tax year (so far as specified under section 4(6)(c) of that Act), or</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(c)</span><span class="sub-para-text">any amount of the ESA IR personal allowance for that tax year.</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(1B)</span><span class="sub-para-text">The result to be achieved for a tax year (“the current tax year”) is that for each combination of amounts referred to in sub-paragraph (1A)(a) to (c) to which a person could be entitled, the sum of those amounts for the current tax year is at least (in each case) the amount given by increasing—</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(a)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the sum of those amounts for the previous tax year, by</span></span><br> <span class="sub-para subparagraph sub-para-indented"><span class="sub-para-num">(b)</span><span class="sub-para-text">the relevant CPI percentage for the current tax year.”</span></span>

<p>This amendment imposes a duty on the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland to secure that the employment and support allowance for claimants who receive a disability premium or the support component increases in line with inflation.</p>

10

Schedule 2, page 15, line 8, leave out paragraph 4

<p>This amendment leaves out the personal independence payment paragraph in Schedule 2 (Northern Ireland).</p>

11

Title, line 4, leave out from “allowance,” to end of line 5

<p>This amendment amends the long title in consequence of Amendments 4 and 10.</p>