Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to reform disability benefits to support transition into part-time or supported work; and, if so, how they plan to do so.

This Government is committed to removing the barriers to work. We want to give people the confidence that working will not trigger a reassessment and a potential loss of benefits. That is why we are establishing in law the principle that work, in and of itself, will not lead to a reassessment. For people receiving Universal Credit, PIP (in England and Wales, Department for Communities is mirroring in Northern Ireland), or New Style Employment and Support Allowance, we are introducing legislation that guarantees that trying work, in and of itself, will not be considered a relevant change of circumstance that will trigger a PIP award review or WCA reassessment.

By legislating to guarantee that work in and of itself will not trigger a reassessment we are taking an important first step to address these barriers and give customers the confidence to try work. The draft regulations are published in the House of Commons library.

Deposited paper DEP2025-0425 - Deposited papers - UK Parliament

The Government plans to legislate for this change to take effect in 2026. This will run alongside the biggest employment support package for disabled people and people with health conditions in more than a generation, backed by £1 billion a year of new, additional funding by 2030. This new support offer will roll out from April 2026, so that all affected by the reduction to the UC health element will be offered support, provided by a dedicated Pathways to Work adviser. There will be 1,000 advisers in place across Britain through Jobcentre Plus, equivalent to two in every jobcentre. This will be in place across England, Scotland and Wales, and people affected will be able to access a conversation about their needs, goals and aspirations; offered one-to-one follow-on support, and given help to access additional work, health and skills support that can meet their needs.

Our Pathways to Work Guarantee will provide work, health and skills support for disabled people and those with health conditions claiming out of work benefits. We anticipate that the Pathways to Work Guarantee once fully rolled out will include:

• A support conversation that will help identify the best next steps, including a range of personalised and more intensive support

• Specialist one-to-one support – this will build on evidence from recent pilot schemes, which has shown that, for some people, offering regular in-depth personalised appointments with a consistent advisor can help people who are ready to move towards or into work

• More intensive longer-term work, health and skills support for those who are ready – building on evidence from programmes like the Work and Health Programme, Work Choice, Individual Placement and Support for those with severe mental illness or substance dependency, and evidence from successful skills training.

• Periodic engagement for people who are not yet ready for more work-focused engagement. Content and frequency will vary depending on individual need and - if and when ready - we will signpost or refer onto other support.