RNIB welcomes concessions on welfare reform bill

Last minute concessions agreed to by Number 10 ahead of Tuesday’s vote were “a huge victory for blind and partially sighted people,” the charity said

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A guide dog leads a partially sighted woman across the road

Getty/fotografixx

Lucy Miller

03 July 2025

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has called last-minute concessions on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill “a huge victory for the blind and partially sighted people.”

The welfare reform bill passed its second reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday night (1 July) with 335 to 260 votes.

The RNIB had previously called for MPs to vote against the bill, citing concerns that it would create “an unjust two-tiered health and disability benefit system.”

Further concessions were made on the eve of the vote, including agreeing to a review of the proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) before they are implemented.

Potential changes to PIP, which will now be reviewed, include tighter restrictions for those applying for support from 2027 – something which the RNIB has called “unacceptable.”

Vivienne Francis, RNIB’s chief strategy and public affairs officer, said: “This has been a huge victory for the blind and partially sighted people, who have campaigned bravely alongside the disabled community to protect the vital PIP payments that often cover crucial costs, care allowances and assistive technology.”

Many blind and partially sighted people have shared stories of trying to cover monthly bills “in the midst of an economic crisis, and have helped persuade MPs to reject these potentially disastrous changes,” Francis said.

She added: “While our preference was for this bill to be dropped altogether, the fact that such a major last-minute concession was made is indicative of the need to listen far, far earlier and far more intently to disabled people.

“RNIB vows to play a robust part in the forthcoming review of the PIP assessment, alongside blind and partially sighted people, to ensure their needs are heard and acted upon although it remains to be seen what the status of that review will be in practice.”

Francis emphasised that, “at the same time as addressing changes to welfare, we need to see much more detail on the Government’s plans for promised employment support and urgent action to fix the broken Access to Work scheme, so that many more blind and partially sighted people can gain paid employment.”