Comment from the Musicians' Union on the government's approach to cutting disability benefits

11 July 2025 - Press release

 

Naomi Pohl, MU General Secretary, said: "I would urge the government to rethink its approach to cutting disability benefits. 

"Our latest Musicians' Census showed disabled musicians already face serious financial challenges, including a pay gap of 13 per cent, and many unable to make ends meet by relying solely on music for their income. 

"For many of the disabled musicians we have consulted with on the PIP proposals, there is no adequate replacement. The current model provides them with the flexibility and immediacy to meet their daily needs. It is difficult enough as it is to access PIP, and any reduction in access to PIP will only further cause harm, for example by lowering the quality of food disabled people can afford to eat and removing what little access to a social life they have to support their mental health and wellbeing.

"Although the MU appreciates the Government's aim to support people into work, it will not be achieved by removing or making it harder to claim benefits. The proposals will disproportionately and negatively impact employment rates of disabled musicians – whereas an accessible and well-resourced benefit system, that is supported by a fully funded Access To Work Scheme, working with employers and trade unions to create accessible workplace cultures – will.

"The real issue is that many disabled people cannot afford to live. Reducing benefits is not the way to get disabled people working. More accessible support – that reflects the true cost of being disabled – is."

Hannah Scott, MU member and singer-songwriter from South London, said: "As a disabled musician who has previously been in receipt of PIP, I am horrified by the cuts to disability benefits. PIP allowed me to keep working when my disability was at its worst. I have no doubt that removing these benefits from people who need them to be able to do their jobs will have a catastrophic impact. How can the music industry possibly be a level playing field if the support is not there to ensure disabled people are able to work within it?"

Elizabeth J. Birch, MU member and a musician and producer from Solihull, West Midlands, said: "I am deeply concerned for future generations who will feel the sting the most. The current proposals completely neglect that PIP is not utilised as a work replacement. For many, PIP is a lifeline that helps people meet the extra costs associated with their condition. Cutting it will not support anyone to 'return to work'. I would implore the government to rethink its approach."

Fiona Branson, MU member and member of the MU's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, said: "Statistics show that those employed professionally in the industry are predominantly from backgrounds where there is independent wealth. This means they are able to weather the financial peaks and troughs of self-employment, because they have that economic cushion. This is why it's really important for this government to understand that the benefit system needs to actively support arts and media professionals from low income backgrounds, in order to improve on this statistical anomaly, and improve equality of opportunity."   

Tim Arnold, MU member, musician and digital wellbeing advocate, said: "These cuts risk silencing a whole community of artists whose work often already goes unseen and unsupported. Disabled musicians face systemic barriers every day — removing vital benefits only deepens the inequality. Music doesn't thrive when it's exclusive. It thrives when everyone has the chance to be heard. These proposals don't just harm individuals — they rob our culture of the voices we need. Surely policy can be shaped with more imagination and humanity than this?"