Portsmouth union calls proposed PIP changes in Welfare Reform Bill "abhorrent"
MP's are set to vote on the Welfare Reform Bill today
A Portsmouth union has called the government's proposed changes to the Personal Independence Payment, in the Welfare Reform Bill, "abhorrent".
This comes as MP's are due to vote on the Bill today.
Portsmouth and District Unite Community support the unwaged, which includes students, unemployed and disabled people.
Alan Burgess, Branch Chair of Portsmouth and District Unite Community, said: "We are shocked and appalled that the Labour government is punching towards people who really depend on the Welfare State.
"The Labour Party should be defending the Welfare State and defending Welfare State users.
"PIP is a lifeline.
"I'm on PIP and I get about £70 a week, and that's enough to put bread on the table and give me a standard of living which is acceptable.
"Without PIP, that would be a really poverty-driven situation and I just don't think that that's acceptable."
More PIP users are speaking out on the Bill and proposed changes.
Megan West, a 24-year-old chronically ill woman from the Isle of Wight, receives PIP.
She said: "PIP helps me live with a bit of dignity.
"Without it, I'd have to give up even more of the little independence I still have.
"It shouldn't have to be this hard to survive."
The government have confirmed that anyone who's currently receiving personal independence payments won't be affected by changes to the eligibility criteria.
The new Bill does, however, include proposals to restrict eligibility for future claimants of PIP.
In the initial Bill, it included plans to restrict all eligibility to the payment and cut the health-related element of universal credit.
The original Bill led to more than 120 Labour MPs threatening to rebel in today's vote.
Poole MP, Neil Duncan-Jordan, is still planning on voting against the Bill.
He said: "There are people who are unable to work.
"We have to provide a proper safety net for those people.
"These cuts will not do that and we will see 250,000 more people fall into poverty.
"I don't think any MP came to Parliament to do that.
"Our benefits are not generous.
"The vast majority of food bank users are disabled.
"They can't survive on the benefits they receive, and have to go elsewhere for additional support.
"So, some of these proposals will make poor people poorer, and that's something that I won't be able to support."