‘Unhelpful and ill-informed’: Charities slam Tony Blair think tank report on disability benefits
A report by the Tony Blair Institute has recommended that people with conditions like moderate depression, ADHD, and lower-back pain should no longer be eligible for disability benefits, labeling them as 'non-work-limiting'. The proposal, aimed at cutting £11.5bn from welfare spending by 2029, has been met with strong criticism from disability charities. Critics argue the plan is out of touch with the realities faced by people with disabilities and could worsen poverty and anxiety.
- ▪The Tony Blair Institute suggests reclassifying conditions such as moderate depression, ADHD, and lower-back pain as 'non-work-limiting' to reduce welfare spending.
- ▪The proposed changes could save £11.5bn by 2029 and would be implemented via secondary legislation to limit parliamentary scrutiny.
- ▪Disability charity Mencap condemned the report as 'deeply unhelpful and ill-informed', saying it ignores the real barriers people with disabilities face in employment.
- ▪The Department for Work and Pensions stated it will 'consider' the report's recommendations.
- ▪The think tank argues that while mental health has declined globally since the pandemic, the rise in long-term benefit claims is particularly pronounced in the UK.
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NewsUKHome News‘Unhelpful and ill-informed’: Charities slam Tony Blair think tank report on disability benefitsThe former PM’s firm put forward an ‘emergency handbrake’ plan for welfare spendingAlbert Toth Wednesday 29 April 2026 07:01 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"CF1:2966422To1","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/disability-benefits-dwp-pip-tony-blair-institute-welfare-report-b2966914.html","title":"Charities slam Tony Blair think tank report on disability benefits"}}July 2025: Senior Labour MP tells Starmer…
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