Corrie Stars Sound Alarm as Disability Cuts Could Push Thousands into Homelessness

Coronation Street actors have joined a growing chorus of celebrities voicing serious concerns about Keir Starmer’s proposed disability benefit cuts, warning they could leave thousands of people at risk of losing their homes. The comments came as the government officially unveiled a long-anticipated shake-up to the welfare system, with plans to slash £5 billion from the budget.

The move, part of the Pathway to Work green paper laid out in Parliament on Wednesday by work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall, could affect more than three million households. At the heart of the changes is a major overhaul of Personal Independence Payment, or PIP – a benefit that helps disabled people cover the extra costs of day-to-day living. Reviews of who qualifies for it are expected to begin at the end of next year.

Natalie Amber, who plays Shelly Rothington in Coronation Street, didn’t mince her words when speaking to The London Economic. “Cutting Personal Independence Payment isn’t just about removing a single benefit, it’s about dismantling a vital gateway that enables disabled people to access the support they need to live,” she said.

She explained how PIP plays a central role in helping disabled people not only access other forms of support like housing benefit, but also simply stay afloat. “Without it, many will be pushed into poverty and face the very real threat of losing their homes,” she said. “This is not welfare reform, it’s a direct attack on the right of disabled people to live independently and with dignity.”

Cherylee Houston, known for playing Izzy Armstrong, echoed that sentiment and slammed the lack of research behind the cuts. “The DWP doesn’t actually have the figure of how many people these proposed cuts will drive into homelessness; they haven’t even worked it out,” she said. “It shows how little understanding they have of the system and how little care is being taken about disabled people’s lives.”

She pointed to the sharp rise in homelessness among disabled families since 2019 – nearly 75 per cent higher – and warned that many are already skipping meals just to afford energy bills. “I don’t think people are truly aware of the damage these PIP and their associated benefits cuts could do. We desperately need people’s attention onto this issue,” she added.

TV writer Jack Thorne, creator of Adolescence, also lent his voice to the campaign. He highlighted figures from a government assessment showing that around 800,000 current and future PIP recipients could lose an average of £4,500 a year. “I hope this campaign will cause people to look up and take notice,” he said.

In defence of the changes, Liz Kendall said the new plans mark a turning point for the welfare system. “Our social security system is at a crossroads. Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it,” she said. She described the proposed legislation as a “new social contract” aimed at balancing support for those who can work with protection for those who can’t.

Still, for many campaigners and stars alike, the worry is that compassion might be getting lost in the fine print.

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