Labour MPs are increasingly challenging Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over proposed welfare cuts that some have deemed “impossible to support” without a change in direction. A group of 42 MPs expressed their concerns in a letter to The Guardian, highlighting the distress and worry caused among disabled individuals and their families by the planned £5bn annual welfare savings by 2030. The MPs are calling for a postponement of any decisions until thorough assessments of how the cuts could impact employment and health are made public. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has emphasized that the benefits changes aim to assist more people in finding employment.
Acknowledging the concerns raised, a DWP source affirmed, “The secretary of state is engaging and discussing with colleagues, articulating how these reforms will positively impact people’s lives.” The discontent within Labour’s ranks has escalated as MPs prepare to vote on legislation that would implement the benefits cuts next month. Nine Labour MPs already stated their intention to vote against the alterations to disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC) during a recent debate. The MPs emphasized that the proposed cuts constitute a significant blow to the welfare system and will adversely affect over three million of the most vulnerable individuals.
In March, the government unveiled a green paper outlining the proposed overhaul of the benefits system, which seeks to address existing barriers hindering disabled individuals from securing and maintaining employment. With the government’s welfare spending projected to rise to £100bn by 2029 before the announced Pip and UC adjustments, the planned reforms aim to make 3.2 million families worse off while benefiting 3.8 million families by 2030. As MPs gear up to vote on the legislative changes required for the welfare adjustments, some signatories of the letter are also planning to appeal to the prime minister for a postponement until the full impact assessment is disclosed to the public. Additionally, the government’s employment-focused proposals have received mixed reactions, with uncertainties lingering over the effectiveness of the measures put forth to enhance job opportunities for benefit recipients
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