Yesterday, we warned of the devastating impact the Spring Budget could have on the nation’s mental health.

Somehow, it’s even worse than we could have imagined.

Last week, the government announced deep and harmful cuts to welfare benefits. Alongside many charities, we fought back, making it clear that these changes would destroy lives. We urged ministers to listen – to understand the suffering these policies would cause. Instead of heeding these warnings, today they doubled down.

The latest announcements are nothing short of a targeted assault on those already living on the edge:
– Health-related Universal Credit for new claimants – already set to be halved from April 2026 – will now be frozen in cash terms until 2030.
– A stricter eligibility test for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) will come into force in November 2026, making it even harder for people to access the support they rely on.
– Young people under 22 will be stripped of their incapacity benefit top-up of Universal Credit, robbing them of a vital safety net.

The government’s own analysis confirms the consequences: these changes will push 250,000 people – including 50,000 children – into poverty. The impact on mental health will be catastrophic. Financial insecurity and poverty are already among the most significant drivers of mental ill-health. This budget will push countless more people into distress, crisis, and despair.

Instead of taxing wealth, the government has chosen to cut support from those barely surviving – people with long-term disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions. This is not just irresponsible; it is cruel. The Chancellor claims “the world is changing” – but she has shown us that, for the most vulnerable, it is only getting worse.

And then there’s social care. Or rather, there isn’t – because the government didn’t see fit to mention it at all. After years of promises, waiting lists growing, and services stretched beyond breaking point, the sector didn’t even get a footnote in today’s budget. But is that an improvement? At least a footnote would have acknowledged its existence.

We will not stand by while these policies take effect. We will continue fighting for those most at risk, holding the government to account, and pushing for the urgent, compassionate change our country so desperately needs.