DPAC Northern Ireland

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has issued a formal request for urgent answers from the UK Government about the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill and related proposals in the “Pathways to Work” Green Paper.

📩 In a letter dated July 2025, the Committee asks the UK to explain:

• Whether any impact assessments were done on how these cuts will affect disabled people.
• How groups like young disabled people, women, those with mental health conditions, and those needing high levels of support will be impacted.
• Details on PIP assessment changes, sanctions, and eligibility restrictions.
• Limitations to Universal Credit health-related components.
• Why only 10 of the 22 proposals in the Green Paper were consulted on.
• Whether Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) were properly involved in the process.
• The lack of scrutiny in the House of Lords due to it being treated as a “Money Bill”.
• Politicians’ harmful public narratives portraying disabled people as a burden or cheats.
• The risk posed by PAFER-style legislation that could allow surveillance of claimants’ bank accounts using algorithms.

🔁 The Committee also reminded the UK of its 2016 Inquiry which found grave and systematic violations of disabled people’s rights, and says the 2025 proposals show signs of regression — not progress.

📅 The UK must respond by 11 August 2025. The Committee will review the response at its 33rd session later that month in Geneva.

This is another damning international indictment of the UK’s direction on disability rights — and we must keep the pressure on.

📄 Read the full document: bit.ly/UNDisabilityRightsLetter