Disability Cuts
Did you know: Over 1.2 million disabled people in the UK are currently living in poverty
Why are disability services so underfunded?
Because they're deprioritised. Government austerity has repeatedly slashed local authority budgets, hitting disability services first and hardest. From respite care to social support, vital lifelines are being quietly dismantled. Cuts aren’t neutral; they devastate already vulnerable communities and push carers and disabled people into survival mode.
What’s really behind the cuts to disability benefits?
It’s not about “efficiency” or “reform.” It’s about shrinking the welfare state. Politicians are using public fear, misinformation, and stigma to justify slashing support. This disproportionately affects people with mental illness, fluctuating conditions, and invisible disabilities.
Isn’t the benefits system already hard enough to access?
Yes. People already face humiliating assessments, constant appeals, and dehumanising treatment just to survive. Over half of PIP decisions are overturned on appeal... that should tell you everything. Instead of fixing this broken system, they’re doubling down on harm.
Who is left behind by these cuts?
People with complex or poorly understood conditions. Carers who lose their allowance. Those in deep poverty, often juggling illness, housing issues, and discrimination. The cuts target people least able to fight back, and the most likely to be invisible to the media
What does “reform” actually look like—for disabled people themselves
Reform should mean faster access to support, not fewer people getting it. It means trauma-free assessments, recognition of mental illness and fluctuating needs, better housing, and proper Carer’s rights. That kind of reform lifts people up, instead of pushing them off a cliff.
Why this topic matters to us:
When systems devalue disabled lives, it’s not just a policy failure... it’s a cultural one. The stories behind these cuts are raw, unseen, and heavy with grief.
NotFine.Art exists to give that pain a voice.
Through art, we honour what’s been lost, resisted, and survived. Whether you’re creating or bearing witness, this platform is a place to hold what the system won’t.
Every brushstroke, every stitched thread, every image shared here says what official forms never will: We’re not fine. And we shouldn’t have to be silent about it.
Explore the gallery or join us in our quest for change and upload your art.
What YOU can do now
✦ Email Your MP
When disabled people are failed by the system, the cost ripples out: local economies suffer, government budgets strain, and taxpayers foot the bill through increased benefits and crisis services.
Tell your MP why cuts to disability support hurt real people. Ask them to oppose cruel reforms and support proper investment in social care and independent living.
Feel free to use this template and get your local MP's contact info here.
✦ Support Disabled-Led Charities Fighting Back
Support the vital work of groups like Disability Rights UK, Inclusion London, and DPAC (Disabled People Against Cuts). These organisations are leading the fight against injustice; challenging discriminatory policies in court, campaigning for equal rights, and amplifying the voices of disabled people across the UK.
✦ Sign a Petition
Stop the government’s proposed disability benefit cuts by supporting a live Change.org petition urging the UK government to abandon harmful plans affecting PIP, ESA, and Universal Credit disability awards. These changes would disproportionately impact disabled people- particularly those with mental health conditions and invisible disabilities- further deepening hardship for thousands already at breaking point.