What the UK Spending Review Means for Disabled People in the UK
Written by
Purpl
Published on
June 13, 2025
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled the 2025 Spending Review, setting budgets for all UK government departments over the coming years. While big-picture figures dominate the headlines, many decisions will have a direct impact on disabled and neurodivergent people, those needing mental health or social care support, and anyone relying on benefits.
We’ve broken it down to help you understand what’s changing, what support is available, and how this might affect you or someone you care about.
And if you or someone you know is wondering what benefits you’re entitled to with PIP or a disability, our partnership with Turn2us means Purpl members can now use the Benefits Calculator directly on our website.
It’s a quick, confidential way to see if you’re missing out on disability benefits, top-up payments, or other support like Universal Credit, ESA, and more. You’ll get a personalised report showing what you could claim, and how to apply.
NHS and Mental Health Support
£29 billion boost to the NHS is expected over the next three years, with health and social care projected to grow to nearly 50% of departmental budgets by 2029.
Mental health funding will increase in real terms, from £14.9 billion (2024–25) to £15.6 billion (2025–26).
However, the share of the NHS budget going to mental health will drop slightly, from 8.78% to 8.71%.
What this means: Investment is growing, but mental health isn’t rising as a priority at the same pace as other NHS services, which may limit real improvements in some areas.
Mental Health and Therapy Access
The government committed to expanding talking therapies, reducing waiting lists, and training 8,500 more mental health professionals, including in schools and community settings.
There’s also a push to improve early intervention services for anxiety, depression, and trauma-related conditions.
Concerns:
There’s no confirmed rollout timeline, and these improvements may take years to reach all regions.
Current waiting lists for therapy and mental health assessments remain long.
Advicelocal – Find social care support in your area
Disability Benefits and Cost of Living
What’s happening:
There are no immediate cuts to benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Rates stay the same for now, and nothing has changed for existing claimants.
However, the government is consulting on big changes to PIP, including possibly replacing cash payments with access to treatment or equipment in some cases.
The Chancellor aims to save £12 billion from the welfare budget, with £5 billion of that from disability benefits.
What this means:
If you currently claim PIP or other disability-related benefits, your payments are not changing right now.
But future reforms could affect who qualifies, how support is given, and how easily people can appeal. Many fear that people with invisible, fluctuating, or mental health-related disabilities may lose support.
No extra cost-of-living help:
There were no new payments announced for disabled people facing rising energy or food costs.
Contact – Help for families with disabled children
Final Thoughts
This spending review brings some hope – especially for NHS investment, therapy access, and future changes to neurodivergent support. But for many disabled people in the UK, the immediate day-to-day challenges remain the same.
Social care and tailored cost-of-living support were noticeably missing. And while disability benefits haven’t been cut yet, the government is actively working on plans that could tighten access in the near future.
If you’re feeling unsure, anxious, or overwhelmed – that’s entirely valid. The best thing to do right now is to stay informed, seek free support, and talk to charities or services who can help you plan ahead. You’re not alone in navigating this.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on how these plans develop and how they affect our community.
And, as always, Purpl has a thriving, supportive community to talk to and share your thoughts and feelings with – we’re here – with, and for you – every step of the way.
About the author
Sammi is autistic, has ADHD, and lives with POTS. She’s passionate about disability advocacy, accessibility, and creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and understood. With a sharp sense of humour and a deep love for community, she speaks openly about the realities of being neurodivergent across all of her personal platforms, always aiming to challenge stigma, spark conversations, and remind others they’re not alone.
