Good morning. Welcome back to Survival Guide. I’m Isabella, senior reporter at the Big Issue.

This week I headed to parliament to meet Labour MPs who are rebelling against the government and planning to vote against the disability benefit cuts. 

It was a photocall giving MPs the opportunity to publicly show their support for disabled people who will be impacted by the cuts to benefits.

With these types of events, you never know how many politicians are going to show up. It’s a brave move to be photographed admitting that you are going to rebel against your own party before the vote actually happens.

There were 15 Labour MPs who came to the meeting point, on College Green outside the House of Lords, but I got the sense from them that many more are likely to vote against the disability benefit cuts in the coming weeks.

The problem is, there is a chance they could be punished: when MPs voted to axe the two-child benefit cap last year, they lost the Labour whip. I was told that there are MPs who don’t want benefits to be cut but are “terrified” of the impact it might have if they rebel against their party.

The government published its parliamentary bill on the welfare reforms yesterday – essentially, this is the full detail of what it would like to see made into legislation and what MPs will be voting on.

There are some extra protections, but campaigners are clear that it's not nearly enough. More on this later…

If you’ve got a story to share, we want to listen. Get in touch at isabella.mcrae@bigissue.com or share your story here.

Meet the rebel Labour MPs voting against disability benefit cuts: 'I don't want to be part of it'

These are the 15 MPs who turned up to publicly confirm that they will be voting no to disability benefit cuts. I heard a definite sense of disgruntlement and anger as they chatted among themselves and to me about their Labour leaders and their welfare policies.

Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, told me: “As a proud Labour member, I’m ashamed at these proposals. What we really should be doing is, after 14 years of austerity that has decimated communities around the UK, we should be building a caring and compassionate society – and that means looking after people who need help.”

It comes after more than 40 Labour MPs wrote to the government to demand it reverses its decision to cut benefits. It is likely that Starmer could face quite a significant rebellion in his party indeed… 

Nadia Whittome, MP for Nottingham East, said: “These aren’t the only people who have pledged to vote against the disability cuts, but all of us here are calling on the government to drop these proposed cuts, because they’ll plunge people deeper into poverty. 

“They’ll make people more unwell and we’re saying there are other choices the government could be making. The government could be taxing extreme wealth, for example.”

Read more of what the MPs had to say here. And write to your MP to demand they vote against the cuts here.

In case you missed it

Pressure mounts on Labour over two-child benefit cap as Scotland sets end date: 'Families can't wait.' The SNP government has announced a new payment which will mitigate the impact of the cap from next year. Get the story.

Having to go to a food bank sticks with you – it's time politicians knew about it. Amie, a town councillor and mother-of-two, had no choice but to use a food bank. She joined hundreds in Westminster on Wednesday calling for urgent action against poverty. Read more.

Labour could build 500,000 social homes 'at a stretch' with £39bn affordable housing pledge. It could get Labour closer to its promise to build 1.5 million homes than first thought, analysis from JLL has found. Read about it.

Financial inequality: Understanding the gender gap in money matters – and how to close it. Women can come up against specific financial challenges. Here, experts explain how women can begin to take control of their financial futures. Find out more.

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Labour pushes on with disability benefit cuts: 'The government is just not listening'

The Labour government has been slammed for “turning its back on thousands of disabled people” as it pushes ahead with plans to cut disability benefits.

It has published a new parliamentary bill – the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill – outlining its proposals for welfare reform which it hopes to be made law, including some additional protections for those impacted by the cuts to disability benefits.

It will provide 13 weeks of additional financial security to existing claimants who are set to be impacted by the plans to tighten PIP. This is intended to give claimants time to adapt and access tailored employment support.

But campaigners have criticised the move as simply delaying pushing disabled people into poverty.

James Taylor, director of strategy at disability equality charity Scope, said: “This bill will be catastrophic for disabled people. It will have a devastating effect on disabled people’s health, ability to live independently or work.”

He added that a transition period will only “temporarily delay a cut and disabled people will continue to be living with extra costs when it comes to an end”. 

Get the full story here.

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