East Lancashire MP has support from PM to protect benefits for people with lifelong ill-health
Andy MacNae has won commitment from Sir Keir Starmer to protect benefits for people with lifelong health conditions
Last updated 26th May 2025
An East Lancashire MP has won a promise from Sir Keir Starmer that people with severe health conditions who cannot work will have their benefits protected after raising the case of a constituent who suffers multiple epileptic seizures daily.
Rossendale and Darwen Labour backbencher Andy MacNae highlighted the problems faced by Ben Lacey at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.
He said Personal Independence Payments (PIP) were vital to his constituent who faced repeated assessments causing his stress and uncertainty.
Mr MacNae told Sir Keir: “It is National Epilepsy Week and we are joined in the public gallery by England rugby player Tommy Freeman, who was diagnosed with epilepsy at 19 but who, through effective treatment, has gone on to be selected for the British and Irish Lions.
“I hope the you will join me in congratulating him on that great achievement.
“For a third of epilepsy sufferers, however, seizures cannot be controlled by medication, as in the case of my constituent Ben Lacey, who suffers multiple seizures every single day.
“Ben will never be able to work, yet he has been subject to the stress and uncertainty of multiple PIP reassessments.
“Will the you reaffirm your commitment to ensuring that people such as Ben, who have lifelong conditions and who cannot work, will be protected from those damaging reassessments and given the support they need to live with dignity?”
Sir Keir replied: ” May I begin by congratulating Tommy and everyone selected to represent the British and Irish Lions?
“It is an incredible achievement and we will be cheering them on.
“It is important that we protect those with severe disabilities or lifelong health conditions who cannot work, paying them a premium and stopping those reassessments, which is part of the reform that we are bringing about.
“Ultimately, we also need to get back to face-to-face assessments by trained assessors and health professionals, which fell to only one in 10 assessments under the previous government.”