'Don't use us as a piggy bank', Pip claimant says

A mother with a spinal condition has said she is worried a government U-turn on personal independence payment (Pip) rules is only temporary.

Katty King-Coulling, 39, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, has been diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome, where nerve damage can lead to loss of mobility as well as bowel or bladder control.

She said the government had planned to use Pip claimants as a "piggy bank" and might still cut her benefits in the future.

Defending the proposals, ministers have pointed to steep rises in the numbers claiming benefits.

On Tuesday, the government won a vote on its benefits bill after offering a last-minute concession to Labour rebels.

It said it would not change Pip rules until after the Timms review, which is due to report in autumn 2026.

Ms King-Coulling said she previously lost her Pip mobility payment after an assessment, but it was later restored at the higher rate.

She said: "With Pip, I get a total of £603 [per month]. I get the standard daily living and I get the enhanced mobility.

"The enhanced mobility side of it is going towards a new car, which is a lot higher, which will help me get in and out.

"To have that removed or changed or abolished altogether, we wouldn't be able to manage.

"I wouldn't be able to take little one to nursery... I think it would affect my mental health even more.

"I think it's just absolutely disgusting. Don't use us as a piggy bank. This wasn't about reforming the welfare at all, this was about cuts.

"Yes they've put it off for now until 2026, the Timms review. But then what happens after that?"

The government has previously said the current set-up left people dependent on welfare, without giving them proper help to find work.

It also said making changes was the only way to ensure the system remained sustainable in the future.

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