Select Committee · Work and Pensions Committee

Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work

Status: Closed Opened: 23 Apr 2025 Closed: 1 Jan 2026 6 recommendations 17 conclusions 1 report

The Work and Pensions Committee is undertaking a short inquiry into the impact of the Government’s proposals to reform the disability and health related benefits system, as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper. The Committee is not putting out a call for evidence, but the terms of reference are: to explore the …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathways to Work HC 837 29 Jul 2025 23 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

7 items
4 Conclusion 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

Workplace accessibility is highly relevant to Government reforms impacting Work Capability Assessment criticisms.

The accessibility of workplaces is highly relevant to the Government’s reforms, especially since it has predicated its criticisms of the Work Capability Assessment partly on there being a range of jobs and adaptations available in the labour market. We will return to this subject in a future Get Britain Working …

Government response. The government explained its proposed reform, outlined in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, where the Universal Credit Health Element (UCHE) will be based on eligibility for a Daily Living Award in PIP and not linked to work capacity, without …
Department for Work and Pensions
5 Conclusion 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

Welcomed UC standard allowance increases, but significant reductions for new claimants are concerning.

We are sympathetic to the intention behind the changes to UC rates and we agree with the importance of increasing the standard allowance. As such, we warmly welcome the desperately needed increases in the standard allowance, although we hope the Government will give serious consideration to further increases before the …

Government response. The government stated it is considering responses to its Green Paper consultation on raising the age for Universal Credit Health Element access and will set out its policy direction in due course, rather than directly addressing concerns about the reduction …
Department for Work and Pensions
6 Recommendation 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

Implement further increases to Universal Credit standard allowance and delay UC health reduction for disabled people.

We recommend that the Government consider implementing further increases to the standard allowance over the life of the Parliament, in addition to those provided for in the Universal Credit Bill. We also call on the Government to delay the reduction in UC health until it has carried out an independent …

Government response. The government stated it is carefully considering responses to its Green Paper consultation on conditionality and employment support for disabled people and will share further details in due course, without committing to further increases in the standard allowance or delaying …
Department for Work and Pensions
19 Conclusion 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

No justification for denying young people access to UC health until age 22.

We share the Minister’s concern about young people being trapped in economic inactivity before their working lives have even begun, but we do not see why this means they should lose entitlement to UC health. The Government’s changes to UC rates, along with many of the other changes in the …

Government response. The government stated that it welcomed views on raising the age for Universal Credit Health Element access as part of a consultation and is currently considering responses, with the policy direction to be set out in due course.
Department for Work and Pensions
20 Recommendation 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

Review decision to delay young people's access to UC health until age 22.

We urge the Government to review its decision to delay access to UC health until the age of 22. (Recommendation, Paragraph 138)

Government response. The government states it welcomed views on raising the age for Universal Credit Health Element access as part of a recent Green Paper consultation. It is currently considering the responses and will set out the policy direction in due course, …
Department for Work and Pensions
22 Conclusion 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

Uncertainty remains regarding conditionality regime determination and appeals process for disabled people.

We are cautiously optimistic about the Government’s proposals for conditionality, although a great deal remains uncertain. The tone of the Green Paper suggests the Government is minded to focus more on positive engagement than coercive conditionality. We appreciate the concerns expressed by many about the principle of drawing more disabled …

Government response. The government reiterated its Green Paper approach to conditionality focusing on personalised employment support and periodic conversations, acknowledging the need for further detail and clarity on regimes and operations, with proposals to be shared in due course.
Department for Work and Pensions
23 Recommendation 3rd Report – Get Britain Working: Pathw… Deferred

Clarify government intentions for disabled people's conditionality regime, including appeal rights.

We recommend that the Government clarify its intentions for the conditionality regime for disabled people. In particular, it should spell out what requirements beyond support conversations a disabled person might have to meet. Furthermore, if the nature of a person’s conditionality regime is to be left to the discretion of …

Government response. The government acknowledged the need for further clarity on the conditionality regime for disabled people, including requirements and work coach discretion, and stated they are considering consultation responses and will share detailed proposals in due course.
Department for Work and Pensions

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
25 Jun 2025 Katherine Pateman · Department for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms · Department for Work and Pensions, Shaun Butcher · Department for Work and Pensions View ↗
7 May 2025 David Berry · Manchester City Council, David Finch · The Health Foundation, Dr Lucy Foulkes · Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Ellen Clifford · Disabled People Against Cuts, James Taylor · Scope, Jonathan Andrew · Rethink Mental Illness, Mikey Erhardt · Disability Rights UK, Professor Ben Barr · University of Liverpool View ↗
22 Apr 2025 Angela Matthews · Business Disability Forum, Iain Porter · Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Jean-André Prager · Policy Exchange, Professor Ben Geiger · King’s College London, Ruth Curtice · Resolution Foundation, Ruth Patrick · University of York, Tom Pollard · New Economics Foundation View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
11 Jun 2025 Correspondence from the Secretary of State, responding to the Committee’s 21 Ma…
21 May 2025 Correspondence with the Secretary of State, relating to the Pathways to Work Gr…