1944-1946

The Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 and the NI (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946. Read More

1946

National Health Service Act (NHSA) and the National Insurance Act (NIA). Read More

1948

National Assistance Act (NAA). Read More

1951-1965

National Assistance Amendment Acts and Determination of Needs Regulations. Read More

1965-1966

National Insurance (NI) Act 1965 and the Ministry of Social Security Act (MSSA) 1966. Read More

1971-1972

Introduction of Attendance Allowance (AA) and lower rate. Read More

26 March 1998

Publication by the Blair ‘New Labour’ administration of new social security green paper “New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare”, setting out the principles of welfare reform based on the idea of “welfare dependency”. Read More

11 November 1999

The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 receives Royal Assent. Read More

21 December 1999

‘Permanent Health Insurance’ Westminster Hall debate by Clive Efford MP debated the increasing wrongful denial of PHI claims. Read More

18 February 2003

Ministers try again to remove the “substantial risk” clause from regulation 27, reversing the effect of the Court of Appeal ruling. Read More

13 May 2003

The Social Security Advisory Committee recommends that no change be made to regulation 27, and then withdraws its proposal to remove the safety net. Read More

1 January 2006

Publication of “Is Work Good for Health and Well-being?”, claims to provide evidence that work is good for health, which will be used by government to justify pressuring disabled people into work. Read More

January 2006

The New Labour government publishes “A New Deal for Welfare” green paper, introducing the new employment and support allowance, which will replace incapacity benefit and include conditionality for most claimants. Read More

25 January 2006

Tony Blair supports welfare shake-up, warning that unemployed people, single parents and those on incapacity benefit that they could no longer expect “a lifetime” on benefit. Read More

March 2006

Dr Alison Ravetz criticises government’s New Deal for Welfare warning of incalculable stress for those forced into work and predicting future harms. Read More

2007

New Labour commission report from investment banker David Freud on “reducing dependency” in the welfare system. Read More

31 May 2007

Welfare Reform Act 2007 receives royal assent, introducing changes that will impact millions of disabled people, including the new employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). Read More

3 July 2007

“Doctor” is changed to “healthcare professional” in amendments to the social security regulations, related to medical opinion in determining fitness to work. Read More

November 2007

Labour’s work and pensions secretary Peter Hain vows to “rip up sicknote Britain.” Read More

9 November 2007

Labour announces the new work capability assessment for claiming employment and support allowance, with DWP claiming that “Fifty per cent of those who take the assessment will not pass it”. Read More

15 January 2008

Bid to regulate health care professionals carrying out work capability assessments fails. Read More

2 February 2008

David Freud suggests that less than a third of those claiming incapacity benefit are legitimate claimants. Read More

27 October 2008

Introduction of Employment and Support Allowance and the Work Capability Assessment – key elements of Labour’s welfare reform which aims to use conditionality to cut spending on out-of-work benefits. Read More

6 May 2010

Labour government voted out in general election, leading to formation of coalition between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Read More

25 September 2011

Labour’s shadow secretary of state for Work and Pensions claims Labour lost the 2010 election because it was not seen as tough enough on welfare. Read More

12 September 2012

MP raises concerns over the death of Colin Traynor, whose family say they “hold the Government…personally responsible”. Read More

17 January 2013

Commons debate on work capability assessment and Atos.   Read More

12 October 2013

Rachel Reeves, the new shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, says Labour would be tougher on welfare than the coalition. Read More

7 July 2014

Labour peer highlights “devastating” impact of legal aid changes, which remove access to justice for the poorest and most vulnerable. Read More

January 2015

Labour MP speaks of “core visits” procedures, which are supposed to be followed when a  “vulnerable” person is sanctioned. Read More

17 March 2015

Rachel Reeves, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, says: “We are not the party of people on benefits.” Read More

20 July 2015

John McDonnell voices strong opposition to welfare reform and work bill Read More

28 October 2015

David Cameron asked about peer reviews into deaths of people claiming benefits. Read More

19 May 2016

John McDonnell supports calls to prosecute Iain Duncan Smith. Read More

19 July 2018

Four opposition parties demand DWP answers over work capability assessment deaths “cover-up”. Read More

19 December 2018

Second backbench WOW campaign debate hears of “hostile” and “dehumanising” benefits assessment system. Read More

22 September 2019

Mother of Jodey Whiting receives standing ovation at Labour fringe event. Read More

27 January 2020

The deaths of Jodey Whiting and Errol Graham mentioned in the Commons. Read More

24 February 2020

MP reads list of 24 people whose deaths are linked to DWP policy, in Parliament.   Read More

8 March 2022

Shadow minister says he wants an inquiry into DWP deaths if Labour wins power. Read More