On 9 July 2025, the Government’s Universal Credit Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons– but not without change. In a significant move, Ministers dropped the proposed “four-point rule” for PIP eligibility following sustained pressure from charities, campaigners and MPs.
Below, we break down what the proposed reforms were, what’s changed, and what it means for our community.
The proposed reforms
In March 2025, the government published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, proposing a number of welfare reforms – including changes to the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and the health element of Universal Credit (UC).
The Brain Tumour Charity had raised serious concerns about the disproportionate impact this reform would have on people with fluctuating, neurological or cognitive conditions.
Under these changes, a proposed four-point rule for PIP was announced, where applicants would need to score a minimum of four points on one PIP daily living activity.
Currently, if you receive eight points overall, regardless of how you score in any one area, you will be eligible for the standard rate, or 12 points for the enhanced rate.
This change would have seen people still receiving a high number of points overall but becoming ineligible for PIP completely because they do not score four points on one of the daily living activities.
To many of those affected by brain tumours, PIP and Universal Credit are essential lifelines. In our 2025 Understanding the Impact survey of 222 patients and carers:
- 63% said losing PIP would have a very severe impact
- 78% said assessments do not reflect their condition
- Over half said the process harmed their mental health
- 51% of patients had to stop working altogether
Our survey clearly demonstrated that the proposed reforms risk exacerbating existing inequalities, worsening health outcomes, and failing the very people the system is intended to support.
Since then, we have formally responded to the government consultation, and briefed MPs ahead of the Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on 1 July.
We highlighted how the proposed changes would have disproportionately affected people with fluctuating, neurological or cognitive conditions, such as those with a brain tumours.
What happened in July?
Over the last few weeks, you may have seen, in a flurry of headlines, that there has been further debate in Westminster about the scope of these changes as a result of advocacy from charities like ours and political dissonance.
- 1 July: The government dropped the proposed four-point rule for PIP, in order for the Universal Credit Bill to pass the second reading on 1 July.
- 9 July: The Bill passed its third and final reading in the House of Commons. The legislation has been renamed the Universal Credit Bill, since all PIP related proposals were removed. Although the proposal to decrease the health-related UC for new applicants is currently frozen, this change will come into effect from April 2026. Those currently in receipt of health-related UC and those with severe or end of life conditions are protected from any changes to payments.
- 10 July: The Bill is now proceeding through the House of Lords where final considerations are underway.
We are pleased to see the removal of the proposed PIP reforms, as this rule could have unfairly excluded many people with complex and fluctuating conditions — including those affected by brain tumours — from receiving the support they need. It’s encouraging to see that advocating for change can have impact, particularly around protecting the support for those with seemingly invisible and variable symptoms.
What happens next?
We’re encouraged to see the voices of those with lived experience reflected in this decision, and we’ll continue working with others to ensure any future reforms are fair, evidence-based, and inclusive.
The revised Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill will now move into Committee Stage — where a group of MPs will examine the Bill in detail.
While the removal of the four-point rule is a significant step forward, the wider system still urgently needs reform.
As the Bill passes through parliament, we’ll continue to advocate for:
- Assessments that recognise fluctuating and cognitive conditions
- Fair, timely support for young people from the point of diagnosis
- Flexible, voluntary employment support that reflects people’s capacity
- A welfare system that is trauma-informed and built around dignity
The revised Universal Credit Bill has now move into the House of Lords — where members of the Lords will examine the Bill in detail.
We’ll keep our community updated as the Bill progresses, and continue making the case for a welfare system that’s co-produced, evidence-led and fair for all.