Liz Kendall Delivers Statement on Welfare Reforms – Guido Fawkes

LIVE: Liz Kendall Delivers Statement on Welfare Reforms

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Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall is in the Commons setting out the Government’s welfare reforms – an expected £6 billion in benefits cuts – amid growing disquiet amongst Labour backbenchers. Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband, Yvette Cooper and Lucy Powell are among those who’ve reportedly raised concerns over cuts in last week’s Cabinet meeting…

The welfare reforms include:

• The benefits cuts will save £5 billion by 2029-30.
• Consult on merging contributions-based job seeker’s allowance and employment support allowance.
• Legislate to introduce a “right to try” scheme, where benefit claimants will be able to seek work without immediately losing their financial support.
• Scrap the Tory proposals to reform the work capability assessment (WCA) in 2028. Extra financial support for health conditions in universal credit will be available solely through the personal independence payment (PIP) assessment.
• Government will bring in a “permanent, above-inflation rise” to the standard allowance of universal credit as well as legislating to “rebalance” payments for the benefit.
• Promises more benefit claim reassessments, but people with the worst health conditions which do not change will be “never reassessed”.
• PIP will not be frozen, but access will be tightened. People will need to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to qualify for PIP from November 2026.