Thanks to you, we’ve campaigned effectively to force the government to rethink their plans to cut disability benefits. Read on to find out how your support made a difference.  

In June, the government introduced a Bill in Parliament proposing major changes to the social security system - changes that could have had serious consequences for people living with mental illness. 

The proposals included plans to cut Personal Independence Payments (PIP) - a vital disability benefit that helps people severely affected by mental illness cover the extra costs of living with a long-term condition.  

These changes would have made it much harder for people living with mental illness to access the support they need. Carers were also at risk of losing Carer's Allowance if the person they support no longer qualified for PIP. 

Many people severely affected by mental illness tell us they use PIP to access private mental health treatment because NHS waiting times for mental health care are too long. These cuts could have stripped essential support from those who need it most.

In response to the government’s plans, we launched our campaign: Don’t Cut Benefits, Cut Mental Health Waiting Times. We asked you to contact your MP, and you did. Almost 1,800 of you took action, reaching 90% of all MPs and showing the strength of public feeling about this issue.  

Although the Bill ultimately passed, it was not without a fight. Because of your efforts, and the work of many fellow campaigners, mental health and disability charities, the government was forced to make a series of last-minute concessions.  

Crucially, this included removing proposed changes to PIP from the Bill, delaying any decisions until a full review is completed in Autumn 2026. While there’s still more work to do, this is a positive development and shows that campaigning works. 

While some of the most worrying changes are paused for now, the Bill still contains measures that could limit people’s access to support. We’ll continue to engage fully with the PIP review and fight for a fairer social security system. 

Take action today 

We are still campaigning to ensure the government takes action to reduce mental health waiting times, as we know that long waits can have devastating consequences.  

Please take two minutes to email your MP here.