Public opposed to disability benefit cuts, major survey suggests
A British social attitudes survey reveals only 7% support disability benefit cuts, while nearly half favor higher spending despite potential tax hikes.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Only 7% of respondents support reducing benefits for disabled people.
- Nearly 49% back higher spending even if it means paying more taxes.
- Annual PIP spending surged from £16.3bn to £27.3bn in recent years.
A new survey by the British social attitudes study indicates that the public strongly disapproves of cutting welfare payments for disabled individuals. Amid intense political discussions concerning escalating health and disability expenditures, the research found that a mere 7 percent of respondents favored lowering financial support for disabled citizens unable to work.
Conversely, nearly half of the participants, at 49 percent, stated they backed increased spending on disability benefits, even if it necessitated higher taxes. This strong backing contrasts sharply with the near-record low levels of public support for expanding general welfare payments intended for impoverished households.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
These findings emerge as major political factions, including the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, and Reform UK, have all acknowledged the necessity of curbing health and disability spending, whereas the Liberal Democrats, Greens, and SNP oppose reductions. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced fierce backlash from his own party members last year when attempting to introduce cuts, ultimately forcing a government retreat.
While the proportion of the UK's GDP allocated to all working-age welfare benefits has hovered steadily at just under 5 percent over the past four decades, disability payments have claimed an increasingly large slice of the total. Current statistics demonstrate that four million people across England and Wales receive the Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Annual expenditures have jumped drastically from £16.3bn in 2019/20 to £27.3bn in 2024/25, with projections estimating an increase beyond £41bn by 2030.
"Very few people favour cuts, disabled people are seen as among the most deserving recipients of support, and proposals to reduce disability benefits appear politically risky across the political spectrum."
British Social Attitudes Survey Authors
The sensitivity surrounding disability benefits in the UK highlights the ongoing friction between strict fiscal management and public compassion toward vulnerable populations. Because political parties across all aisles face severe electoral risks when proposing benefit reductions, any administrative reform becomes a delicate balancing act. Although soaring expenditure trajectories demand government intervention, public sentiment firmly regards disability support as a core societal obligation.
Additionally, the survey highlighted that roughly 83 percent of participants supported extra financial assistance for cooking expenses, 80 percent for budgeting, and 78 percent for washing tasks, with only 3 percent asserting that nobody deserved extra money for those three tasks. Conducted by the National Centre for Social Research, the survey gathered 4,656 interviews between August and October 2025. The government intends to release its formal proposals for reforming PIP in the autumn following interim findings that deemed the benefit unfit for purpose.
Source: BBC Health
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