Share your PIP experience – Timms Review
April 29, 2026
Share your PIP experience Timms Review The government is reviewing
Share your PIP experience Timms Review The government is reviewing
Fix the Systems, Not the Rules
This week’s Budget affects disabled people across the North East. Some changes, like ending the two-child limit, could help families and lift children out of poverty. But many measures focus on more checks and assessments, not on fixing the barriers that make life hard. Disabled people need income security, accessible systems, and a say in decisions that impact them. Tougher rules do not make life better, fairer, well-funded systems do. Change happens when disabled people and allies speak up together. If you agree, join Difference North East and help push for real change.
Add your name to an open letter to the Chancellor. The Autumn Budget should not make disabled people poorer. Many people in the North East are disabled and face extra costs every month. These costs cause debt and hardship. We ask the Chancellor to protect disabled people’s incomes, stop unfair welfare changes, and fund the support people need. Read the full letter below and sign the form to add your name. You can also join as an Ally. Sharing this page helps too. Together we can show decision makers that disabled people must not pay the price. Sign today please.
Minister Responds All-Day Bus Access: The Fight for All-Day Bus
Read about how we are trying to make it easier for disabled people to use buses.
The NHS might stop giving gluten-free food on prescription. This is bad news for people with coeliac disease. Gluten-free food costs a lot more than regular food. Without help, many people will struggle to pay for safe food. This is not fair. It creates a big problem for disabled people. We believe everyone should get the food they need to stay healthy. Join us to fight this change. Your voice matters. Together, we can make sure everyone is treated fairly.
The Universal Credit Bill – What Happened and What’s Next
On Wednesday, 9 July 2025, MPs voted on changes to benefits. These changes will make life harder for many disabled people. Only 9 North East MPs voted against the changes.
This was upsetting. But we are proud of how disabled people came together to fight back.
The fight is not over. The Bill still has to go through more checks. More changes could happen.
We need to rest, take care of each other, and get ready for what’s next.
Because care is resistance. Rest is resistance. Community is resistance.
Join us. Together, we are a roar.
People in Stockton-on-Tees met in May 2025 to share their experiences of disability and everyday life.
They talked about transport problems, with very few accessible taxis and buses that do not always provide clear information.
Shops and public places were often hard to use, with not enough Blue Badge parking or mobility equipment available.
Many people described stressful benefits assessments and systems that make them fight for support.
They also spoke about losing jobs, rebuilding confidence, and finding strength through community.
The group wants practical changes and to be involved in decisions, so access is designed with disabled people, not without them.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has just announced
Hartlepool disability rights – Direct summary of community experiences from