High Court Rules Disability Benefit Cuts Unlawful, Forcing Government to Reassess

The court found the consultation process lacked transparency, delaying reforms that could affect hundreds of thousands of disabled claimants.

The High Court ruled that the consultation on proposed disability benefit cuts was 'so unfair as to be unlawful,' citing a lack of transparency about cost-saving motives.
The proposed reforms, initiated under the previous Conservative government, aimed to save billions by tightening eligibility for out-of-work benefits for disabled and chronically ill individuals.
An estimated 424,000 claimants could have faced benefit reductions of over £400 per month under the original proposals, which included stricter work capability assessments.
Labour ministers have pledged to rework the reforms to achieve similar fiscal savings while addressing the legal shortcomings identified by the court.
Disability rights campaigners celebrated the ruling as a victory, urging the government to prioritize the well-being of disabled individuals over budgetary concerns.