Tories pledge to cut benefits for children with milder ADHD
The Conservative Party proposes cutting £36bn from the welfare budget, shifting 70% of children with milder ADHD from cash to support services.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Conservative Party proposes a £36bn cut to the welfare budget.
- Around 70% of children with milder ADHD and learning difficulties will lose cash payments.
- The most severe 30% of cases will continue to receive financial support.
- The party plans to invest £1bn in mental health services and family hubs instead.
The Conservative Party has announced a series of new measures aimed at saving 36 billion pounds from the welfare budget, which includes proposals to reform disability living allowance payments for children by focusing strictly on those with the most severe conditions.
Currently, the disability living allowance for children allows parents to claim between 30.30 pounds and 194.60 pounds per week to help cover the extra costs of raising a disabled child. Claimants must prove either mobility difficulties or a higher need for care compared to children of the same age without disabilities.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Under the party's new plans, claims involving behavioural disorders, learning difficulties, or ADHD will only qualify for cash payments if they represent the highest level of need. Those with the most severe conditions, accounting for roughly 30 percent of total cases, would continue receiving financial support.
The remaining 70 percent would no longer receive cash but would instead be offered support through mental health services and family hubs, backed by a 1 billion pound investment promised by the Conservatives. These adjustments would apply to new claims and reassessments, while individuals with physical disabilities would be exempt from the changes.
"The reality is that millions of people can and do contribute to our economy, to their families, to their communities even when they face serious challenges."
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative Leader
The party's previously announced spending cuts also target 13.7 billion pounds from sickness and disability benefits by restricting payments for milder mental health and neurodiversity conditions, 9.5 billion pounds by tightening benefit rules for foreign nationals, 4.5 billion pounds by lowering local housing allowances, and 3.1 billion pounds by reinstating the two-child benefit cap.
The welfare reform proposals put forward by the Conservatives highlight growing fiscal pressures in the UK regarding public spending on disability and health support. Transitioning recipients away from direct cash payments toward structured state services represents a contentious strategy that balances state budget constraints against social welfare protection.
The proposals have drawn severe backlash from opposition politicians and welfare groups. The Child Poverty Action Group warned that the plans would drive the largest overnight spike in child poverty on record, while Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper criticized the party for pushing policies where disabled people and impoverished children bear the cost.
Source: BBC Politics
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