An influencer who offers advice to neurodivergent entrepreneurs has branded Labour's proposed benefits cuts "utterly disgusting" and says she now regrets voting for the party. Maddy Alexander-Grout, who has almost 70,000 followers on TikTok and describes herself as an ADHD money and business coach and visibility strategist, hit back at the Government after it unveiled sweeping changes to the benefits system.

The proposed reforms would see only the most severely disabled qualify for personal independence payments (PIP). Ms Alexander-Grout says she hasn't claimed PIP, but has received tens of thousands of pounds in the past two years via a separate scheme, Access to Work, to help run her businesses, as per . Access to work claimants can apply for a grant to help pay for practical support with work, support with managing mental health at work, and money to pay for communication support at job interviews.

In an interview with the newspaper, Ms Alexander-Grout called the cuts "utterly disgusting", adding: "As somebody who voted Labour, now I wish I could retract my vote.

"The people who need it are going to be massively affected by this. Disabled people shouldn't have to jump through hoops to get it."

She argued that if ministers want to get disabled people back to work, they should instead be looking to improve accessibility in workplaces and not "pulling the rug out from people who rely on it".

"If they are self-diagnosing, it's still genuinely valid," she told The Telegraph. "Why would you think you have a disability if you don't? We are not languishing - we are trying to survive."

She said that while she would qualify for PIP she hasn't applied for it due to the lengthy application process and not needing as much as others.

The Government is also thought to be reviewing the Access to Work scheme, and the influencer acknowledged that her future payments are uncertain.

"I think they are going to make massive changes," she said. "It wouldn't surprise me if it gets taken away. I do agree there should be a bit more testing to make sure people have the disability they claim they have.

"It's not easy to apply for. You can't just make up symptoms. I genuinely feel if somebody was making the effort to make all of that up, they should be in prison," she added.

On Tuesday, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall set out the plans in the Commons with the changes expected to save more than £5 billion a year in 2029/30.

They include dropping a controversial benefits assessment, the eligibility criteria for disability benefits, as well as raising the basic rate of universal credit while reducing the higher rate for people who are too ill to work, as per .

It caused a stir within Labour, with Hackney North & Stoke Newington telling the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs that there is "nothing moral about cutting benefits for what may be up to a million people".

"This is not about morality, this is about the Treasury's wish to balance the country's books on the back of the most vulnerable and poor people in this society," she added.

Sir Keir replied it was "moral issue" that one in eight young people were not in either work, education or training.

"I'm not going to turn away from that, I am genuinely shocked that a million people, young people, are in that position, and I'm not prepared to shrug my shoulders and walk past it," he said.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been approached for comment via email.

Ms Kendall said: "Our social security system must be there for all of us when we need it, now and into the future. That means helping people who can work to do so, protecting those most in need, and delivering respect and dignity for all.

"Millions of people have been locked out of work, and we can do better for them. Disabled people and those with health conditions who can work deserve the same choices and chances as everyone else.

"That's why we're introducing the most far-reaching reforms in a generation, with £1 billion a year being invested in tailored support that can be adapted to meet their changing circumstances - including their changing health - while also scrapping the failed Work Capability Assessment.

"This will mean fairness for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions, but also for the taxpayers who fund it as these measures bring down the benefits bill.

"At the same time, we will ensure that our welfare system protects people. There will always be some people who cannot work because of their disability or health condition. Protecting people in need is a principle we will never compromise on," she added.

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