Background
In March 2025, the Government published the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, which set out plans to change the welfare system.
At Together Trust, we wanted to make sure the voices of disabled people and their families were heard. Using evidence from our services, surveys with parents and carers, and wider research, our campaigns team responded to the consultation.
The Government has now released its response. In this blog, we look at what people who responded to the consultation said, how this matches our views, and what happens next.
Consultation findings: What people said
The consultation showed strong support for protecting disabled people’s rights, making things clearer, and providing tailored support. Key points included:
- Financial security: Keep current benefit rates and eligibility, protect PIP, and avoid changes that could lead to poverty or harm mental health.
- Flexibility and clarity: Allow trial work periods without triggering reassessment, taper benefits as earnings rise, and give clear guidance on entitlements.
- Person-centred processes: Make assessments fair and transparent, carried out by trained professionals; give exemptions for severe or life-limiting conditions; and keep support conversations voluntary.
- People also called for grants for adaptations and assistive technology, better employer training, improved transport, and simpler Access to Work processes.
- Holistic support: More mental health services, NHS investment, better transitional care, advocacy, and accessible communication. Disabled people should be involved in designing services.
- Workplace inclusion: Stronger laws and enforcement to ensure employers make reasonable adjustments, better training, and consultation with disabled people and charities. Expand Access to Work funding and responsiveness.
- Support for young people: Universal Credit should be based on need, not age. For PIP, most agreed 18 is the right age, but some said it shouldn’t depend on age or should be more flexible.
How our views align
Together Trust supports these priorities. In our response, we called for:
- Pausing proposed PIP changes until full impact assessments are done
- Protecting disability-related benefits and reducing social care charges
- Co-designing assessments and employment support with disabled people and carers
- Expanding advocacy, early transition planning, and flexible funding
- Clear guidance to protect work trials and exemptions for lifelong conditions
- Increasing Universal Credit by £20/week and endorsing the Essentials Guarantee
- Keeping Universal Credit health element from age 18 and prioritising care leavers
- Targeted cost-of-living support for disabled people and families with SEND
- Investment in workplace adjustments, transport, and accessible care
- More NHS care coordination and mental health prevention
- Voluntary, person-centred support conversations delivered by trained advisers
- Expanding Access to Work funding and auto-enrolment
- Stronger legal protections and co-designed strategies with disabled people
- A gradual, supported transition between children’s and adult benefits, with flexibility based on individual needs
These recommendations reflect our commitment to a welfare system built on trust, fairness, and inclusion, so disabled people and families get the support they need to thrive.
Next steps
The Government has confirmed it will not go ahead with proposed changes to PIP eligibility for now, and will wait for the Timms Review before making decisions.
Work on other measures from the Green Paper is continuing, with a promise to work closely with disabled people, representative organisations, and experts.
The Government is reviewing consultation feedback and other evidence and will publish detailed proposals soon.
The Timms Review will play a key role in shaping future policy, and Together Trust will keep pushing for rights-based, person-centred solutions that promote independence, inclusion, and wellbeing. – Styliana Pasiardi – Policy and Campaigns Manager
Get involved
- Share this blog on social media and tag Together Trust
- Tell us your views by emailing styliana.pasiardi@togethertrust.org.uk
- Sign up for our campaign updates
- Check our website news for developments
