Charities write to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, calling for a U-turn on the UK Government’s upcoming changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Today (Tuesday 10 June), a group of UK charities supporting people with cancer have written to Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, calling for a U-turn on the UK Government’s upcoming changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP
Secretary of State
Department for Work and Pensions
Caxton House
Tothill St
London
SW1H 9NA
10th June 2025
Dear Secretary of State,
We are writing to you regarding the planned changes introduced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper regarding Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other benefits.
We are a group of leading national charities who support and represent hundreds of thousands of people living with and beyond cancer across the UK, from children and young people to older adults, across a broad spectrum of cancer types.
But we are united in our shared concern about what the Department for Work and Pension’s changes to disability benefits and financial support will mean for those living with and beyond cancer – a situation no one hopes to ever find themselves in, but is unfortunately the reality for around one in two of us in our lifetimes, and over 400,000 people diagnosed with cancer every year.
The Equalities Act 2010 considers a diagnosis of cancer as a disability, which applies to everyone with cancer or those who have had cancer in the past. The individuals protected by this Act also need, and deserve, sufficient disability support from the welfare benefits system.
PIP is a vital lifeline for many cancer patients, providing up to £187.45 in financial support every week for cancer patients in need. Receiving PIP is not a luxury or a bonus – it is essential support to help cope with the spiralling, unavoidable costs that come as soon as you hear the word “cancer”.
Research by Young Lives vs Cancer shows that children and young people with cancer and their families face an additional £700 every month for costs associated with cancer, alongside a drop in household income of between £6,000 – £10,000 a year. Anthony Nolan reports patients with acute conditions such as blood cancer and blood disorders experience an average income loss of £30,000 in the year following their diagnosis and during treatment, putting patients and families at risk of homelessness as they struggle to meet mortgage or rent payments. Leukaemia Care found the number of patients reporting to have been affected financially since diagnosis has increased from 43% in 2017 to nearly 60% in 2023, and patients’ average monthly expenditure also increased significantly from £181 to £270 per person, with particular rises in energy and fuel costs.
Without PIP, the impacts of these costs will be more unmanageable and will no doubt push more cancer patients and families into poverty, because of circumstances they cannot avoid.
PIP is essential not just during active treatment but also supports people beyond treatment and into survivorship with the lasting impacts of cancer and supports those who are chronically ill and their condition is incurable.
PIP also supports people to work, by providing financial support which can help cover adjustments, travel and other support that helps with access to employment. Many people living with and beyond cancer want to stay in or return to work, but can only do so if it is safe for them and that they are effectively supported. It’s important they don’t feel pressured to return to work sooner than they are ready because of the financial pressures they face. And for some, work just isn’t always an option, in particular during active cancer treatment. Cutting access to PIP will hinder, not help, the UK Government’s ambitions to get more disabled people into work.
By changing the PIP scoring thresholds to require scoring four points in one Daily Living activity, many people living with cancer and beyond will lose out on financial support provided by PIP. Equating scoring four points in one activity to determining those with the highest need is misleading and fails to consider those with a range of needs across multiple activities, who ultimately score highly across the overall PIP assessment. Those applying for PIP under these new thresholds will likely need more support to navigate the complex process and articulate their needs in a system which currently does not accurately reflect the impacts that cancer has on people’s lives.
We’re also concerned that young people in particular will be hit hardest by the combination of reforms outlined in the Green Paper, including the PIP scoring thresholds, and changing the minimum ages for PIP and the Universal Credit Health Element.
It is clear that the benefits system, and disability benefits in particular, need reform so they work for those who need them, and we welcome changes in the Green Paper such as enhancing employment support and the benefits process changes. But we firmly believe that limiting essential support for people with cancer is not the answer. We also feel strongly that the Department should consult people impacted by this proposed change before making it.
The Green Paper also fails to fully address some of the existing issues in the system, such as the significant waits being experienced by those diagnosed with cancer following their diagnosis and before receiving their benefits.
Going ahead with these changes will fundamentally impact many people living with and beyond cancer across the UK, amplifying financial instability, risking pushing more people into poverty, keeping people out of work, and causing unnecessary health and mental health implications.
We urge you and your Department to reconsider and retract the changes to PIP scoring thresholds in particular, and work with us and people with cancer across the UK to develop effective solutions to the challenges in the benefits system that truly meet the needs of people living with cancer.
We look forward to your response and engaging with you on this in due course.
Regards,
Anthony Nolan
Blood Cancer UK
Bone Cancer Research Trust
Brain Tumour Research
CCLG: The Children and Young People’s Cancer Association
Leukaemia Care
Maggie’s
Melanoma Focus
Myeloma UK
Neuroendocrine Cancer UK
Oracle Head and Neck Cancer UK
Solving Kids' Cancer UK
Target Ovarian Cancer
Young Lives vs Cancer
Young Tongues