DWP doesn’t rule out means-testing disability benefits in Autumn State

The new Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (DWP) Mel Stride, who was appointed by Prime Minister Riishi Sunak last week, faced his first round of questions in the House of Commons on Monday. Mr Stride replaced Chloe Smith who was given the role by former prime minister Liz Truss. Mr Stride responded to various queries on the state pension annual uprating, cost of living support payments, Pension Credit take-up and benefits.He reiterated information already available to the public and stated several times how a decision on the state pension and benefits rising with inflation will not be announced before the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, delivers his Autumn Statement to Parliament.One question from the Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Jonathan Ashworth struck a cord with claimants of disability benefitsThe question centred around making benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance for Children, Attendance Allowance and even Carer’s Allowance means-tested.Mr Ashworth said: ‘Can he give a categorical assurance that, in the Autumn Statement, he will rule out means-testing Personal Independence Payments, Carer’s Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance for Children?READ MORE: Half a million pensioners to miss out on state pension rise due to where they live The head of the DWP has not ruled out several disability benefits becoming means-tested. (Image: GETTY)”The Prime Minister tells us that we do not need a general election because the 2019 manifesto gives him and the Conservative party a mandate.’Given that that manifesto committed to the triple lock, why can he not give pensioners the reassurance that they deserve?’Mr Stride didn’t offer a direct response to the statements but also did not rule out that the benefits could become means-tested,He replied: ‘The right honourable Gentleman is inviting me, in a whole host of areas, to break with what has been a very long-standing and quite correct convention that Ministers simply do not provide a running commentary about what may or may not be in a major fiscal event.DON’T MISSRishi Sunak ‘will do what’s right’ pensioners told as they await verdict on 10.1% rise [TRIPLE LOCK]Halifax customer warns of ‘classic’ cold call scam where fraudsters can steal your details [FRAUD]Pensioner ‘amazed’ to get £18,000 cheque after Martin Lewis’ state pension warning [PENSIONS TIP] What is PIP? (Image: EXPRESS)’Although there have been rumours about this for several weeks, the issue gained further prominence due to a question put by shadow DWP secretary of state Jonathan Ashworth to the current DWP secretary of state, Mel Stride on Monday.’In reality that ‘long-standing’ convention was broken as recently as 19 October when Liz Truss told the House at PMQs that the triple lock for pensioners would be maintained.’However, in the same response on Monday, Stride also refused to confirm that the triple lock remained safe under Sunak.’So, at the moment, Benefits and Work can offer no reassurance to readers about what the current administration will or won’t do on 17 November. All we can suggest is that people don’t assume the worst and instead wait for concrete information.’