Found: Independence Payment Bill; the Bill’s title was amended in committee of the whole House to “Universal Credit Bill

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the proposal to remove eligibility for the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity group from people who are under the age of 22 will affect those in specialist education colleges.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Universal Credit Bill makes no change to the eligibility of young people under 22 for the Universal Credit Health element. The proposal to restrict access to the element was the subject of a consultation which closed on 30 June. The responses to the consultation are now being reviewed, and the Government’s conclusion will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Universal Credit Bill on (a) people with ME and (b) other fluctuating conditions; and whether the forthcoming ME delivery plan will consider the potential impact of this Bill.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Our reforms are not condition specific. People with ME/CFS will be treated equally to those with other health conditions and disabilities. We are aware of the fluctuating nature of ME/CFS, the wide variety of disability associated with this condition and the specific needs of those individuals.

The Pathways to Work offer announced in the Green Paper will improve the employment support available for disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with fluctuating chronic illnesses such as ME/CFS.

The Department of Health and Social Care published the final ME/CFS delivery plan on 22 July. The plan focuses on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease. The latter includes helping people with ME/CFS to find and maintain employment, where appropriate, through our department’s plans to improve employment support available for disabled people and people with long-term health conditions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Universal Credit Bill on claimants with (a) fluctuating conditions and (b) mental health conditions.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

No such assessment has been carried out. The Bill will not alter the existing Work Capability Assessment.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that vulnerable people are not adversely impacted by welfare reforms.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

At the heart of our reforms is the principle that those who can work should work. If you need help into work, the government should support you, while those who can’t work should be supported to live with dignity.

We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable. That is why we are legislating in the Universal Credit Bill to ensure any claimants who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria – or who qualify under Special Rules for End of Life – see their combined standard allowance and LCWRA rise at least in line with inflation every year until 2029/30.

The Timms Review will also ensure that PIP is fair and fit for the future, and will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Universal Credit Bill on young people under 22 with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Universal Credit Bill makes no change to the eligibility of young people under 22 for the Universal Credit Health element. The proposal to restrict access to the element was the subject of a consultation which closed on 30 June. The responses to the consultation are now being reviewed, and the Government’s conclusion will be announced in a white paper in the autumn.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether people in the Employment and Support Allowance Support Group will be classed as being a new claimant when they migrate onto Universal Credit for the purposes of the Universal Credit Bill.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are rebalancing Universal Credit to fix a system which encourages people to claim health benefits and shuts the out of employment support. It’s a targeted reform that protects those with the most serious, long-term conditions and existing claimants, while providing work, health and skills support to everyone who is affected by changes to LCWRA.

I can confirm that customers who move to Universal Credit from Employment & Support Allowance (Income-Related), with no gap between those awards, will not be treated as a new customer and will retain the higher rate of the LCWRA addition.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether (a) Universal Credit and (b) PIP awards in Northern Ireland will remain indexed to inflation until 2029-30 under proposed welfare reforms.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Social security is a transferred matter in NI, but there is a long-standing principle of parity between the social security systems of the Northern Ireland Executive and that of the UK Government. In line with this principle, the Universal Credit Bill makes provision for Northern Ireland equivalent to that for Great Britain

The Government is committed to protecting the benefit awards of the most vulnerable and addressing the basic adequacy of Universal Credit. The Universal Credit Bill will make the first ever, sustained, above inflation increase to the standard allowance of Universal. For example, the standard allowance for a single 25 year old is expected to rise from £96 per week, to £106 per week in 2029/30.

For customers already in receipt of the Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA) element of Universal Credit, the combined rate of the Universal Credit standard allowance and LCWRA will rise at least in line with inflation every year for the next four years. Those who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria or where Special Rules for End of Life apply will also receive this protection, no matter when they start claiming the benefit. From 6 April 2026, the LCWRA rate will be reduced and frozen until 2029/30 for those newly defined as LCWRA.

The Universal Credit Bill does not make any changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. PIP is transferred in Northern Ireland and decisions about indexation are a matter for the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

Found: Universal Credit Bill: HL Bill 123 of 2024–25

Found: Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee HL Paper 162 30th Report of Session 2024–25 Universal Credit Bill

Found: Reforms set out in the Universal Credit Bill will look to rebalance the core payment and health top up

Found: Letter dated 11/07/2025 from Baroness Sherlock to all Peers regarding the introduction of the Universal Credit Bill