The UK government has unveiled a plan to allow disabled people to try work without fear of losing their benefits, with legislation laid before parliament on Thursday to prevent automatic reassessments. This move aims to address concerns that people are being 'stranded in the benefits system' and afraid of trying work through fear of losing their support, according to the government. The new 'right to try' policy will come into force at the end of the month, providing a specific implementation timeline for the initiative.
It will apply to claimants of employment and support allowance, personal independence payment, and the universal credit health element, covering key disability benefits in the UK welfare system. 5% of those who were economically inactive because of long-term sickness or disability returned to work each year, and more than half of these jobs lasted fewer than four months, highlighting the challenges disabled people face in sustaining employment. Campaigners have warned that the policy does not go far enough to tackle hostile workplaces, suggesting that more comprehensive measures are needed to address systemic barriers to employment for disabled individuals.
The announcement comes at the same time as a controversial cut to the universal credit health element, which is being halved and then frozen for new claimants unless they meet stricter criteria, creating a complex policy landscape where support is being expanded in one area while reduced in another.