
Our Welfare campaign: Why we need to protect benefits for autistic people
Ella Pitt, Campaigns Manager
12/05/2025
Ella Pitt is the Campaigns Manager at the National Autistic Society. They share more about our welfare campaign and the impact of benefit cuts on autistic people.
Recently, we’ve asked our campaigners to write to their MPs and ask them to ‘Protect our Benefits.’ This is following the Government announcement of £5bn cuts to benefits. If passed, these changes will make it harder for disabled people to access Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other benefits, and reduce the rates of Universal Credit (UC) health payments.
These are vital benefits that many autistic people, both in and out of work, rely on to meet essential needs, from accessible transport to and from work and sensory aids like noise-cancelling headphones to mental health support. MPs haven’t been given enough information to truly understand the impact that welfare cuts could have, as the Government has yet to do a full impact assessment.
Also, the Government isn’t consulting on some of the key elements of these changes. This means they aren’t asking autistic people or disabled people to share their views on proposals that could push many people into poverty and take away support that actually enables autistic people to work. We think it’s vital for the Government to listen to autistic people. Since proposals were announced, many autistic people have been in touch, and we want to share some of their stories to encourage more people to join the campaign to 'Protect Our Benefits.'
"Like so many autistic adults, I am deeply fearful of the proposed cuts and changes. I have been through the job centre system, and it made me so ill. I had to go back in one recently as part of my UC claim and found it so stressful. I do not feel I could cope with being forced back into looking for non-existent jobs, as I was out of work for years.
"PIP has been a lifeline to me and allowed me to buy equipment such as weighted blankets. I even wrote to the DWP decision maker to thank them and explained how much it meant to me. With the changes to PIP meaning I will lose it and the health element of UC, I will have to cut back on so much. These are appalling changes, and I urge the National Autistic Society to challenge this." – Nick
"As a single father of three and a newly diagnosed autistic individual, I rely on these benefits. My background includes working in the Ministry of Justice, military service, cyber security and data protection law. Recent struggles with bullying, burnout, low mood, depression, and anxiety have left me unemployed for two years." – S
"In my daughter’s case, removing PIP will not encourage an autistic person back into the workforce, but will have the opposite effect. PIP is not an out-of-work benefit as such, it is a payment to support independence. I am very concerned that she, and many other autistic people will suffer real harm from the changes suggested in the Green Paper." – C
"I’m already finding it hard to get PIP because my disability isn’t visible or easily evidenced, but without it, I miss out on other things too. Sometimes big things, like extra support at the job centre. If I had PIP, I might have been able to afford private counselling to assist my recovery rather than having to wait on the overstretched NHS.
"I was told that PIP was a non-means-tested benefit that is there to help people like me to afford extra costs related to disability. I’ve already struggled to access this support, even with a genuine, diagnosed disability, and under the new rules, it will be harder for far more people to access that help and support.
"I fear autistic people whose support needs aren’t fully understood will be deemed ‘not disabled enough’ to be eligible for support. Yet employers generally think we’re not able enough to join the workforce. It’s a myth that all autistic people have a special gift they can leverage. Most of us struggle with day-to-day activities and relationships just as much as any other person with a more visible disability." – Gordon
These fears and concerns show just some of impacts real people will feel, but they are unfortunately not unique. We are committed to reaching as many MPs as possible to ask them to stand with autistic people and say no to benefit cuts.
Together, our voices are so much stronger, and there are many different ways to use your strengths and skills when campaigning with us for change. We all have something to offer, whether that’s contributing in-person, online or creatively.
These fears and concerns show just some of impacts real people will feel, but they are unfortunately not unique. We are committed to reaching as many MPs as possible to ask them to stand with autistic people and say no to benefit cuts.
Together, our voices are so much stronger, and there are many different ways to use your strengths and skills when campaigning with us for change. We all have something to offer, whether that’s contributing in-person, online or creatively.
To get involved and take the first step, you can:
- join our campaign and email your MP
- sign up to receive our regular campaigner updates.
Join our campaign and
email your MP
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