UK "Right to Try" policy calms benefit reassessment anxieties

The United Kingdom government has introduced a new “right to try” policy aimed at helping disabled people test work or volunteering without automatically triggering a benefits reassessment. Officials said the change was announced on Thursday and is due to take effect at the end of the month.

Under the new approach, disabled claimants will be able to take up employment or volunteer roles without an automatic review being initiated solely because they started those activities. The government said the measure is intended to remove a deterrent that has affected people receiving employment and support allowance, personal independence payment, and the universal credit health element.

Previously, starting work or volunteering could lead to an automatic reassessment of benefits, which campaigners have described as a major barrier to participation in the labour market. Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, said the policy is designed to reduce anxiety about losing support.

He said fears about reassessment and potential loss of help have discouraged some people from trying work or volunteering, even though volunteering can be an important first step toward paid employment.

Disability campaigners welcomed the announcement while stressing that it does not resolve broader structural problems. Scope and Disability Rights UK described the move as positive, but cautioned that disabled people still face obstacles including inaccessible workplaces, inflexible job design, insufficient support, and negative attitudes from employers.

Separate research cited from Timewise highlights the difficulty of sustaining a return to work for people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness or disability. The research indicates that only 2.5% return to work each year, and that more than half of those jobs last less than four months.

Campaigners said further steps are needed alongside the “right to try” change, including additional investment in personalised employment support. They also warned against further reductions in benefits, pointing to a recent cut in the universal credit health element for new claimants.

For employers and labour-market stakeholders, the policy is intended to lower the perceived risk for disabled people considering a gradual move into work through volunteering or limited hours. However, it remains unclear how quickly the change will alter behaviour among claimants, given the wider issues campaigners say still shape whether roles are accessible and sustainable.