People have been talking about the Budget for weeks. And yesterday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, finally set out her plans for the country\u2019s finances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So what do yesterday\u2019s announcements mean for disabled people with complex needs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The big measure making the news is the Government\u2019s plan to end the \u2018two-child limit\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the moment, the two-child limit means someone only gets extra Universal Credit for the first two children they have<\/strong>. If someone has any more children, they don\u2019t get any extra support from the Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Government has now announced that it will scrap the two-child limit<\/strong>. This is good news for many families. But it won\u2019t necessarily help many families with disabled children, who were already exempt from this policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And many families with disabled children are struggling. Sense research shows two in five parents of disabled children cannot heat their home<\/strong> properly in winter, and the same proportion are skipping meals<\/strong> so their child can eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This should be unacceptable in modern Britain \u2013 and it\u2019s time the Government did something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every year, the Government automatically puts up some benefits, including Personal Independence Payments (PIP), in line with rising prices. But the Government doesn\u2019t have to do this for benefits like Universal Credit, although it usually does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yesterday, the Chancellor announced that Universal Credit will go up<\/strong> in line with inflation. This is good news. But it doesn\u2019t change the fact that benefits are too low in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sense research has found that 43% of disabled people with complex needs<\/strong> on benefits are in debt <\/strong>because their welfare payments don\u2019t cover the essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So we welcome the fact benefits will go up in line with prices \u2013 but we need to see the Government doing more to help disabled people on low incomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By working with campaigners like you, Sense was able to force the Government to rethink its plans for benefits cuts earlier this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re glad the Chancellor didn\u2019t announce any other changes to welfare yesterday. But we are concerned about what they might do in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re particularly worried about the Government\u2019s proposal to cut the Health Element of Universal Credit <\/strong>for disabled people aged 16 to 21. That would mean young disabled people who apply for benefits in the future would be eligible for \u00a350 a week less in support<\/strong>. The impact of that would be huge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Government also announced some changes to the Motability scheme. This scheme allows people who receive Personal Independence Payments (PIP) to lease specially adapted vehicles<\/strong>. This isn\u2019t a \u2018free car\u2019 as some people say \u2013 it is paid for with the mobility component of someone\u2019s PIP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people make an advance payment to receive a more expensive car under the scheme. As a result of the Budget, this payment will no longer be exempt from VAT<\/strong>. Vehicles that are adapted for wheelchairs, however, will still be exempt from VAT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Motability say nothing will change for people who already lease cars. You can read more about any other changes that might affect new recipients on the Motability scheme website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Government say they haven\u2019t made a decision on whether they will go ahead with the plan to cut the Health Element for young people yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re hoping that this is a sign they might be rethinking the proposal. But we\u2019re calling on the Government to put minds at rest by making it clear that they won\u2019t go ahead with the cut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By working with our supporters, we made them think again last time. We hope to do the same again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not getting our updates? Our emails land in your inbox every week.<\/p>\n\n\nEnding the two-child limit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Benefits will go up in line with inflation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Future changes to welfare?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Changes to the Motability scheme<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What next?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n