Watching over 5 hours of debate on BBC Parliament regarding the welfare reform bill today wasn’t part of the plan, but I’m glad I did. The debate between both sides of the House (of Parliament chamber) was passionate. It showed the extent of the fury about the proposals, especially the introduction of the 4-point system to qualify for PIP from November 2026.

It was quite extraordinary to see the amendments being offered in real-time, and thankfully, the removal of the PIP clause of the Bill until the Timms Review. The Bill passed this evening by a vote of 335 to 260.

This is positive news, but we still have a battle ahead of us. While I welcome the new concessions, I am concerned about what will constitute co-creation by the government, which has acted so poorly in its consultation with the disability community regarding this Bill thus far.

The Dwarfism community must be one of those groups and voices that are part of this crucial conversation moving forward.

I am concerned about the lack of response from the main charities in the Dwarfism community about this Bill, which is why I am suggesting that we have a cross-community working group. This means that no one person or organisation has to take sole responsibility for representing the views and needs of the Dwarfism community. We must work together on this.

I urge members of the community to set aside their political differences at this time and work collectively to ensure that our members are included in this Review.

Have Your Say!

I am hosting the first Dwarfism and PIP Assessment Working Group meeting on Thursday, 3rd July, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom.

This is your opportunity to have your say and opinion. I will then feed the response back to my local MP, who has said that he can write to the Disability Minister on my behalf regarding the concerns around the PIP assessment and its impact on Dwarfism.

Email me at steph@hellolittlelady.com to book your space and receive the link.

Thanks,
Steph