A former Labour councillor who quit the party over international aid cuts has asked how austerity will help the disabled and chronically ill.

Hollingdean and Fiveways ward councillor Bruno De Oliveira, the former chair of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board, raised the issue of personal independence payments (PIP) and health-related universal credit claims at the board meeting yesterday (Tuesday 8 April).

His question followed the recent announcement by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, that reforms to PIP would reduce the number of claimants by 1.5 million.

One in 10 people of working age currently claim a sickness or disability benefit.

The number of people claiming health-related benefits with no requirement to work has increased by 800,000 since 2019-20 and the number claiming PIP is expected to more than double during this decade from 2 million to 4.3 million.

Ms Reeves said that spending on working-age sickness and disability benefits had risen by £20 billion since the coronavirus pandemic and, without action, would go up by a further £18 billion by the end of this Parliament to £70 billion a year.

The government’s proposals are planned to save £5 billion a year by 2029-30.

Councillor De Oliveira said: “Given the government’s planned tightening of personal independence payment (PIP) eligibility, the halving of health-related universal credit for new claimants, and the withdrawal of incapacity top-ups for under-22s, could you explain to our residents how these austerity-driven reforms will affect the lived realities of disabled and chronically ill residents in deprived local areas of Brighton and Hove—many of whom already experience systemic exclusion from the labour market?”

His successor as chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, Labour councillor Faiza Baghoth, said that the government’s reforms were wide-ranging and would have a positive impact for some while some residents would be “affected negatively”.

Councillor Baghoth said: “The council is committed to doing all it can to support local people who are struggling financially.

“Our poverty reduction work includes working closely with partners to understand the local data on poverty, encouraging people to take up all the benefits they are entitled to by signposting to support services, whether run by our community and voluntary sector partners, and providing direct support through our local Fairness Fund.”

Councillor De Oliveira, who now sits as an independent, was frustrated that he was not permitted to ask a supplementary question.

He has asked for the reasons behind the refusal from the council’s monitoring officer Elizabeth Culbert, who is also director of governance and law.

Councillor De Oliveira’s supplementary question would have been: “Has the council consulted with mental health professionals on the psychological impact of forcing individuals to undergo more stringent PIP assessments, especially those with ‘invisible’ or fluctuating conditions?

“If so, could you tell our residents how you justify increased conditionality in a system already associated with anxiety, stigma, and suicidality?”