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Political reporter Joshua Nevett and political correspondent Helen Catt have reported on Sir Keir Starmer’s criticisms of the current benefits system. The Labour leader has described the system as “unsustainable”, “indefensible” and “unfair”, emphasizing that the government cannot ignore the issues at hand. Starmer addressed Labour MPs, expressing concerns about the negative impact of the welfare system, which he believes discourages work and results in increasing costs.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to propose changes to the welfare system to reduce the benefits bill in the near future. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already outlined several billion pounds in draft spending cuts to welfare and other government departments ahead of the Spring Statement. However, within the Labour party, there is apprehension about the potential consequences of such drastic cuts. Labour MP Rachael Maskell warns that severe measures could lead to disabled individuals falling into poverty.
Despite the concerns raised by some Labour MPs, there are others within the party advocating for change. The Get Britain Working group, consisting of 36 Labour MPs, believes that the government has a “moral duty” to assist long-term sick and disabled individuals in finding employment if possible. Meanwhile, a group of charities, including Disability Rights UK, Citizens Advice, Scope, and Sense, have urged against cuts to disability benefits, arguing that such reductions may not necessarily improve employment outcomes for disabled individuals.
Ministers are facing pressure to reform the welfare system, given the significant increase in the number of people claiming benefits since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. As of January, there were 9.3 million economically inactive individuals aged 16 to 64 in the UK, a rise of 713,000 since the pandemic began. The Department of Work and Pensions notes that 2.8 million people are economically inactive due to long-term sickness. Despite the challenges, the government is already implementing reforms, such as deploying 1,000 work coaches to assist the long-term unemployed in finding work
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