More than 100 disabled celebrities and activists, including Liz Carr and Rosie Jones, have called on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to stop planned cuts to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit. In a joint letter, the group described the proposed changes from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as “inhumane” and a threat to basic human rights.
The letter warns that if the reforms move forward, around 700,000 families already living in poverty will suffer even more. “This is not reform; it is cruelty by policy,” they wrote. “We have already faced ten years of austerity, suffered greatly during the pandemic, and seen essential services stripped away. We refuse to watch our community be sacrificed for the illusion of savings.”
The signatories stressed that for many disabled people, PIP is more than just financial support — it is a way to survive. “PIP is not a benefit – it is access to life,” they wrote.
Actress Cherylee Houston, who organised the letter, said she had heard countless heartbreaking stories from people already struggling to make ends meet. “These are lifeline benefits,” she said. “Taking them away will destroy lives. We are asking the government to listen, stop the cuts, and work with us to build a fairer system.”
Houston, best known for her roles as Izzy Armstrong on Coronation Street and Tinsel Girl on BBC Radio 4, also founded the disability arts group TripleC. She told The Guardian she was moved to tears reading personal accounts of what could happen if the cuts go ahead. “That’s why I joined others to demand action,” she said.
In response, a government spokesperson said they are committed to supporting people across the UK by reducing poverty and creating better jobs. They added that the number of people claiming PIP has doubled since the pandemic, and changes are needed to make sure support goes to those who need it most.
“As part of our wider plan, we’ve raised the national living wage, increased benefits, and eased repayment terms for over a million households receiving Universal Credit,” the spokesperson said.
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