Charities warn removing universal credit health element could harm young disabled people

Letters published in the Guardian have raised concerns over reports that the UK government is considering removing the health element of universal credit for disabled people under the age of 25.

The letters were written in response to earlier Guardian reporting on the potential changes, which the paper had described as part of a wider set of possible welfare reforms. According to the letter writers, who identified themselves as representing the charity Contact, the organisation hears regularly from families concerned about how a loss of this support would affect disabled young people's ability to participate in everyday life.

The letter states that some recipients of the health element are studying, working part-time or volunteering, while others face disabilities significant enough that paid employment is not possible. The writers argue that removing the payment could jeopardise the ability of families to keep disabled young people supported.

The universal credit health element is an additional payment within the UK's universal credit system intended for claimants whose health conditions or disabilities limit their capacity for work. Any decision to remove it for a specific age group would represent a significant change to how the benefit is structured for younger claimants.

The Guardian has not reported that a final decision has been made on the proposal, and the letters reflect the views of the organisations and individuals who submitted them rather than the newspaper's own editorial position. The issue remains part of a broader debate in the UK over the scope and cost of disability-related welfare support.