An authoritative national survey has found little public appetite for cuts to disability benefits, with nearly half of respondents advocating for increased spending on Personal Independence Payments (PIP). The British Social Attitudes (BSA) report indicates that proposals to restrict spending on disability benefits could be politically risky, even among the Conservative and Reform UK electorate.
The BSA report, which tracks British public attitudes on various issues since 1983, revealed that only 7% of those surveyed supported reductions in disability benefits. In contrast, 49% believed that spending on these payments should be increased. This finding emerges despite a general dip in overall support for welfare spending in recent years.
The findings are released as two government-commissioned reviews, one concerning PIP and another addressing support for jobless young people, are anticipated. Speculation has been circulating that these reviews may lead to proposals to restrict spending on disability benefits.
According to the BSA report, ministerial proposals to reduce disability benefits would find minimal support among Labour voters. Only 5% of Labour voters favoured reduced spending, while a significant 57% backed more generous provisions.
Crucially, the report highlighted robust support for spending on disabled individuals among Conservative and Reform UK voters. Among these groups, 40% expressed support for increased spending on claimants unable to work, with only 10% supporting a reduction in such spending.
Robert de Vries, a senior lecturer at the University of Kent and co-author of the report, commented on the findings: "Despite growing political divisions on welfare, support for disability benefits remains remarkably strong. Very few people favour cuts, disabled people are seen as among the most deserving recipients of support, and proposals to reduce disability benefits appear politically risky across the political spectrum."
However, the report also acknowledged complexities in precisely quantifying public support for disability benefits. It noted that public opinion can be influenced by subjective perceptions of whether claimants are "deserving" or "genuinely" unable to work. It suggested that support for cuts might vary for specific groups of disabled people, with conditions such as depression and anxiety potentially ranking lower in an informal public hierarchy of "deserving cases" compared with, for example, individuals who use a wheelchair.
The report further cautioned that initial public support for proposed cuts could shift once the precise impact on individuals becomes clearer, particularly regarding the number of claimants potentially pushed into hardship. "We... cannot say in advance whether a particular cut to disability benefits will be supported or opposed by the public, but it is clear that this is very challenging terrain for a government to be confident of taking the public with them," the report stated.
The survey involved interviews with 4,656 people across the UK, conducted between August and October 2025.
Last year, the government faced a significant public backlash and a Labour backbench rebellion, leading to a U-turn on £5 billion of proposed disability benefit cuts. These plans were estimated to potentially push hundreds of thousands of disabled people into poverty.
Following this, a review of PIP was launched, headed by former welfare minister Sir Stephen Timms. Its initial findings, published in July, indicated that PIP, which is claimed by nearly 4 million people in England and Wales, should be overhauled. However, it stipulated that any changes would need to be financially sustainable.
Separately, a review by former Labour MP Alan Milburn, focusing on how to support almost 1 million young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment, or training (NEETs), has raised concerns. These concerns centre on potential cuts to benefit support for youngsters claiming PIP or the health element of Universal Credit.
Both the Conservative Party, which initiated a review aiming to save £23 billion, and Reform UK, which claims drastic cuts to PIP could save up to £50 billion, have expressed intentions to reduce what they describe as "out of control" disability benefits spending.
However, the BSA report provides a counterpoint to these claims, noting that while disability benefit spending has increased in recent years, overall welfare spending has remained stable. This suggests that media and political assertions of an unsustainable system may be "overstated."
