What the UK Spending Review Means for Disabled People in the UK

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.

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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.

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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.
  

Support if you’re struggling:

• Mind
  
• Samaritans – 116 123 (Free, 24/7)
  
• Shout – Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 (Free, anonymous mental health text support)
  

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Neurodivergent People (Autism, ADHD and more)

• The Spending Review acknowledges the current crisis in support for neurodivergent people.
  
• There are early plans to expand local neurodevelopmental hubs and invest in diagnosis pathways.
  

Concerns:

• There’s still no national neurodiversity strategy, and no timescale for improvements.
  
• People are often waiting over 12 months just to get an NHS assessment, and that’s unlikely to change quickly.
  

Support for navigating this:

• ADHD UK
  
• National Autistic Society
  
• Psychiatry UK – Right to Choose (May help fast-track an ADHD/autism diagnosis via the NHS)
  

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NHS and Social Care

• The NHS will receive more money, with a focus on cutting waiting lists and improving local care access.
  
• The review includes plans to reform community care, which could benefit disabled and chronically ill people.
  

Concerns:

• Social care funding was barely mentioned, despite being a lifeline for many disabled people.
  
• Services remain under strain, with staffing shortages and long waits for care packages.
  

Help if you’re struggling with care:

• Disability Rights UK
  
• Scope
  
• Advicelocal – Find social care support in your area
  

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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.
  

Free benefits advice:

• Turn2Us – Check what you’re entitled to
  
• Citizens Advice – Help with applications, appeals, budgeting
  
• Z2K – Expert support if you’ve been unfairly refused or sanctioned
  

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Learning Disabilities and Education

• The review restates a commitment to improving SEND support (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) in schools.
  
• There are plans to increase school support staff, including mental health leads and SEN specialists.
  

Concerns:

• These are early-stage promises with no confirmed timeline or full funding yet.
  
• Families may still struggle to secure EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans) and consistent in-school support.
  

Charities that can help:

• IPSEA – Free legal help with education and EHCP rights
  
• Mencap – Learning disability support and advocacy
  
• Contact – Help for families with disabled children
  

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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. 

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.

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“It Doesn’t Make Sense”: New Data Shows Low PIP Fraud, But Disabled People Still Face Cuts
Purpl Research: How Proposed PIP Cuts Could Devastate Disabled People in the UK
PIP and Disability Benefit Reforms 2025 – A Summary of Changes Announced Today