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It comes as the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves made further cuts to welfare during the spring statement, aimed at reducing the welfare bill by nearly £5 billion. The Chancellor confirmed several changes to benefits in her spring statement on Wednesday, including to the personal independence payment (PIP). The UK government said the proposed changes to the welfare system would save £5bn a year by 2029-30 and get more people into work.
More than three million families will lose out financially as a result of cuts to welfare benefits by 2030, amount to an average loss of £1,720 a year, government analysis shows. This includes Lily Langford, 19, who has been diagnosed with autism which impacts her day-to-day life. The Dorset teen explained that ‘through the guidance of a friend she decided to apply for a personal independence payment.
’ Lily speaking at a protest in Brewery Square (Image: Graham Hunt Photography) Lily said: “That took a couple of months to come through. A bit of money every month that was mine to spend to make my life easier. It’s not a lot of money but it helps with my accommodation, my headphones because everything is too loud, my fan because it’s always too hot and the petrol for my car so that I can have the freedom I so desperately need even though I struggle on public transport.
” This monthly payment has been ‘lifechanging’ for Lily and has given her a massive sense of independence. She added: “Even though money shouldn’t make the world go round, the independence it has given me is lifechanging. I’m lucky, I don’t rely entirely on my PIP, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t ever need to.
” READ MORE: Anger as protestors slam disability and public spending cuts Lily at a protest in Brewery Square (Image: Graham Hunt Photography) Speaking at a protest in Brewery Square, Dorchester about the changes being made in the spring statement, Lily said: “The Labour government are directly attacking some of the most vulnerable people in the UK. “The cuts to PIP and disability payments is an attack on everyone, not just those that it directly harms. At any point in time, anyone can become disabled, someone can lose their job, or someone may need to rely on that bit of money for their independence.
“It’s something that people care about; it’s not just a small issue.”.
