Don’t ask business to ‘shoulder more burden’, CBI chief urges March 19, 2025 The government should not “ask businesses to shoulder any more of a burden”, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) chief has warned in the wake of the welfare cuts. Work and pensions secretary Lilz Kendall announced on Tuesday a raft of welfare measures she said will help bring more working age people back into jobs. [...]
Welfare reforms: What are the politics of Labour’s benefits changes? March 19, 2025 Over the past few weeks, it’s been hard to avoid reports of the government preparing the ground for a string of changes to the UK’s welfare system. Call it kite flying, pitch rolling, or testing the waters, when work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall got to her feet in the House of Commons on Tuesday, [...]
Liz Kendall unveils welfare reform package aimed at saving £5bn by 2030 March 18, 2025 Liz Kendall has unveiled a major package of reforms to the UK’s welfare system with the aim of saving the government £5bn by 2030.
Health Secretary declines to be drawn on benefit freeze ‘speculation’ March 16, 2025 A senior minister has declined to be drawn on whether the government will freeze personal independence payment (PIP) as uncertainty continues to surround Labour’s upcoming benefits reforms. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to announce reforms on Tuesday aimed at cutting a welfare bill that ministers have described as “unsustainable”. Ahead of the [...]
Ministers must get a grip of broken benefits system, Reeves insists March 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves has doubled down on the need to reform the welfare system, insisting the government must “get a grip” on it amid concerns from Labour MPs about the impact of expected cuts to the budget. The benefits system is “broken” and is “not working for anyone”, the Chancellor said. Backbench Labour MPs have made [...]
The welfare system isn’t working – here’s how to fix it March 10, 2025 Claims for incapacity benefits have gone up by 27 per cent while 35 per cent more have no obligation to look for work. The system needs radical reform, starting with these four changes, say Jean-Andre Prager and Dr Sean Phillips Britain’s health and disability benefits system isn’t working. The Office of Budget Responsibility estimates the [...]
Employers warn of workers’ rights reform and Budget double whammy November 26, 2024 Businesses are concerned about the aggregate cost of changes to workers’ rights and the cumulative impact of Budget measures, MPs have been told. The committee of MPs scrutinising the Labour government’s employment rights legislation took evidence from business groups, industry representatives and trade unions on Tuesday. And they were warned the combination of reforms to [...]
Unemployment hotspots to get more NHS funding under new back to work plan November 26, 2024 Places with the highest levels of joblessness will get extra NHS support as the government bids to “get Britain working again”. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall will announce the plans today as part of wide-ranging reforms designed to tackle economic inactivity and deliver the government’s promise to bring more than two million people back [...]
Election 2024: Benefits ‘less dignified’ than work, Starmer toughens welfare line June 23, 2024 State handouts don’t deliver the “same sense of self-reliant dignity as a fair wage”, Sir Keir Starmer has said, as he toughens his party’s line on welfare.
Focus on health to cut ballooning welfare bill, new report argues June 20, 2024 The next government should focus on addressing underlying health conditions rather than embarking on a benefits "clampdown", a new report has argued.