Response (from the perspective of someone on disability and welfare benefits)

When politicians and commentators talk about “difficult choices” and “controlling the welfare bill,” I always know exactly who they mean. They mean me. They mean people like me who are disabled, sick, or unable to work full‑time. They mean the ones who already live on the edge, who already ration heating, who already skip meals, who already feel the consequences of every budget line.

What they don’t mean—what they never mean—is pensioners.

Zoe Williams is right: the biggest part of the so‑called “welfare bill” is pensions. But somehow, when the IMF or the Treasury or the newspapers talk about “welfare,” they only picture the poorest and most vulnerable. They picture us. They never picture the £178bn pensions bill. They never picture the triple lock. They never picture the £35bn in pension tax relief that overwhelmingly benefits higher earners.

It’s strange being on disability benefits and watching this dance happen every year. The government insists there’s “no money left,” but the only place they ever look for savings is the same tiny corner of the budget where people are already drowning. They’ll scrutinise my medical records, my mobility, my mental health, my ability to stand or sit or lift a kettle. They’ll debate whether my condition is “real enough.” They’ll imply I’m a burden.

But the moment anyone suggests looking at pensioner benefits—even just asking whether billionaires need a winter fuel allowance—the whole political class panics. Suddenly it’s “divisive,” “unfair,” “politically impossible.”

Meanwhile, disabled people like me have already lived through 16 years of cuts, sanctions, assessments, and humiliations. We’ve already had our support chipped away. There’s nothing left to cut except bone.

And what hurts most is the hypocrisy. Politicians say they want to “protect the most vulnerable,” but they don’t mean the people who can’t work, or who are too sick to leave the house, or who rely on carers. They mean the people who vote in the largest numbers.

I don’t begrudge pensioners their security. I want everyone to have dignity. But it’s exhausting to be told, year after year, that the country can’t afford dignity for me.

If we’re going to have an honest conversation about the welfare bill, then let’s actually talk about the welfare bill—not just the tiny slice that keeps disabled people alive. Let’s talk about pensions, tax reliefs, and the choices that governments make to protect some groups while sacrificing others.

Because right now, it feels like the only people ever asked to tighten their belts are the ones who already can’t breathe.