Today, as government borrowing costs remain punishingly high, panicked Chancellor Rachel Reeves will try to reassure the markets that the government is growing the economy and cutting the benefits bill.

We'll update this page with any information about benefits changes as soon as we get it.

Reeves is speaking now, she says:

"We will deliver fundamental reform of our welfare system.  That includes looking at areas that have been ducked for too long, like the rising cost of health and disability benefits. And the secretary of state for work and pensions will set out our plans to address this ahead of the Spring statement."

Will there be more?

No, it seems there won't. 

However, there are motions by both Rachel Reeves and Liz Kendall on the welfare cap this afternoon.  Reeves  told the Sun on Sunday that she will “expose how the Conservatives lost complete control of the benefits bill – with a project overspend of more than £8 billion”.

So, there may be more on benefits to come.  We'll keep this page open for the rest of the day, just in case.

Alison McGovern minister for unemployment is standing in for Rachel Reeves and Liz Kendall. 

She says she is never disappointed in her work coaches, the thing that lets them down is the system they work within.

It's on Parliament TV from 16.14 at this link:

https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/e4026aea-0691-4880-8957-3db8c8d0825f

 McGovern explains that the Conservatives have breached the welfare spending cap by £8 billion.

She appears to be claiming that the move from ESA to UC is the cause of much of the rise in benefits spending, because of the hard separation between the level of benefit for those capable of work and those with LCWRA.

She also says that you cannot have a functioning social security system if the health service is not functioning.  For example being told you can only see someone for 10 minutes, having to do numerous admin checks that could be done with modern technology.

We are hearing a great deal about getting people into work, but nothing about changes to the WCA and PIP. Instead, McGovern refers once again to the Green Paper to be published in the Spring, even though Rachel Reeves has said "we’re setting out our detailed plans before Easter".

She confirms that Labour will keep the welfare cap, which is intended to limit the amount that is spent overall on social security.

 It's notable that the house is almost empty.  Jeremy Corbyn has asked questions of the minister.

She moves onto fraud.

And that seems to be it.

There's a link to the written statements by Liz Kendall here

 

 

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    It was a labour government who encouraged people to apply for disability benefits years ago rather than claiming unemployment benefits and it kept the numbers seemingly out of work lower. As a disabled person I had to jump through hoops to get first DLA and then PIP, yes I also worked full time and that money helped me pay for the extras so I could stay in work for as long as possible.  But I know people who have received DLA/PIP for short term disability and are still on it, they have somehow gotten through the reassessments and been awarded it and I don't know how.  I understand that the welfare bill has increased dramatically but It is stressful to not know where we stand.  The money I receive is spent on things that I need, which I cannot access through the NHS or other means.  I also need things when I need them, not a year down the line.  If PIP is changed it will only increase disabled people's need to access things they need from other places so putting pressure on other social services, whilst also taking money they would spend in the economy
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jeanette D It was actually Thatcher who encouraged it to keep the rocketing unemployment figures down.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Mory Split hairs ! it was both parties.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jeanette D It was the Thatcher government that encouraged the uptake of sickness benefits. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jeanette D "It was a labour government who encouraged people to apply for disability benefits years ago rather than claiming unemployment benefits and it kept the numbers seemingly out of work lower". 

      No it was not, it was the Tories under Thatcher that told the miners they had made redundant to sign on as sick, in order to reduce the unemployment benefit figures so the figures looked better than they were!  
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jeanette D No it wasn't Labour who encouraged people onto sickness benefits to fiddle the figures. It was Thatchers Tories. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    The media, even the BBC, are utterly OBSESSED with cutting benefits. Whenever an MP tries to talk about positive measures to try and support some people back into work, they immediately bring
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    March 26th is her next ‘statement on benefits’. In the meantime we wait for Kendall to give more detail on the plans. Are they talking about extending the benefit cap to disabled people (it currently doesn’t apply) Anyway, I guess it’s all worse case conjecture until we know for sure what they will choose to do. How they can make any decisions with proper consultation and planning by March 26th is beyond me. I expect it to be much longer than this. Anyway, It’s a complete mess. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Pretty shocking to see a labour leader praising Margret Thatcher and ignoring Kinnock's message about what would come in the future. 
    https://speakola.com/political/neil-kinnock-i-warn-you-campaign-1983
    Rachel Reeves has announced a number of projects which I hope don't end up being white elephant projects at the cost of the NHS, Schools, Hospitals, and the sick and disabled!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Is there any news on her statement yet?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I spoke to my labour councillor pre election who promised they are not going to take PIP off me - now look.  Disgusting. They don't give a thought for all of us here hanging on waiting for news.  They intend to cut benefits of vulnerable people.  Nasty party.  I worked since I was 16 until a couple of years ago.  I can't believe I voted for Labour believing it would be the lesser of two evils.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Emma Bet you wish you didn’t now they always try to come across as a caring party but they are anything but that ! 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    We are easy targets as we are the second most despised group next to immigrants who cannot be tackled with. What about waste and giving away money to everyone who holds there hand out. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Dont worry too much... they have to bluster and thump the table to reassure the "City"... 
    I have no doubt they will change dome rules, but they cant change diagnosis, or ignore it...
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Graham Initially was one of my worries.
      I was diagnosed bipolar 10 years ago after decades of being treated wrongly for depression.
      I think it would be easy to argue that some conditions never improve or can be  "cured "
      Try not to worry.
      We don't know what's planned yet.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @David Macfie My worry is that they will want everyone to provide updated letters from their Specialists, I have 6 disorders and disabilities and once I was diagnosed I was discharged from their clinics as I don't need to see them unless there is a big change. To get 6 appointments with these Doctors would be a nightmare as if unwell it's hard enough to get appointments nowadays but just for a letter it's impossible. I was 18 when I was diagnosed with one of my disorders it only gets worse over time never better, I am now 64, how the hell am I meant to do this. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @David Macfie But the NHS is now an arm of the state and is being used to delegitimise illness and disability. For example, a move away from diagnosis to 'recovery' models in mental health services actively redefines mental illness as a personal responsibility that doesn't necessarily need any kind of state intervention (treatment or monitoring). How many people with schizophrenia, learning disability, etc are going to be able to work? Who is going to employ? Because the reality of health and disability cannot be changed, they are instead changing the narrative so that people become targets.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I've spoken to my GP about the increased anxiety and stress this has been having on me (Like everyone else). They said not to worry about it as it'll be up to GP's to provide all the evidence to support their patients if the government do indeed make changes. They didn't seem concerned about it.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Wendy My doctor is utterly clueless and unsupportive on how panic and agoraphobia affect you,I told her I couldn't travel down the motorway to a hospital appt in Liverpool and her response was well get someone to drive you! She doesn't understand I can't do it full stop no matter who was driving the car, I eventually got my appointment transferred to Warrington and I cancelled it 3 times as I couldn't face the dual carriageway,I went last week on last chance appt as you can only cancel 3 times,I had to take 6mg diazepam and 30mg propanolol just to go and more to come back,I had 3 panic attacks and my husband had to pull over 3 times in a 7 mile journey, this us what panic disorder with agoraphobia looks like,not that they have any clue
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jamie If you have a good, trustworthy GP then it hopefully won't be a problem. I'm with a practice that has survived with locums for years now and there's no continuity and absolutely no consistency. The patients are at the mercy of whatever the locum perceives to be true.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    oops... Lets write part of that again... This time in English ***Note to self.. Read what you type before clicking submit***

    "Yes there need to be a change in the System but I would rather that change come from a Labour Government than a Conservative or perish the thought a Reform UK Coalition."
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    So we still didn’t hear any details on reforms to the benefits system. Maybe something will come out later today, we live in hope. 
    Zero plans for economic growth in the near future for our country. Absolutely useless government. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Jollies They wont be clear when she announces out today . 
      They will keep us in the dark .
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    FROM THE BBC NEWS website:

    Overshadowed perhaps by that confirmation of a third Heathrow runway, Rachel Reeves confirmed there’ll be a reform of the welfare system, with a focus of disability benefits, unveiled ahead of her Spring Statement on 26 March.

    There remains more than 500,000 people not working due to long-term sickness than before the pandemic.

    The problem for the government is two-fold: worklessness hampers the efficiency of the economy, getting more people working supports growth ambitions.

    But second, the welfare bill is booming: spending on health and disability related benefits is set to rise by a third, to top £100bn by 2030. At a time when the chancellor may look to curb her spending ambitions, aiming to limit that rise will be a tempting option.

    The problem is achieving that. Getting people into better health and into work and cutting the cost to the public purse may take a more holistic approach than simply tweaking benefit rules.


  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    I think this is a good example of taking what you read in the media especially the clickbait "REACH" articles in the various "Live" and "Echo" news outlets with a huge pinch of salt. It was marketed as a major Emergency announcement on Benefits etc but in reality we got just a few lines explaining what we already know. Yes there need to be a change in the System but I would rather that change come from a Labour Government that a Conservative of perish the thought a Reform UK Coalition. 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Disabled people spend the money they receive. As such it helps the economy!  
    They are not saving it for a rainy day, for them the rainy day is here! Disability benefits pay for the extras needed. 
    The powers that be only ever look at getting re-elected, and people with disabilities are low hanging fruit for all parties. Never forget Tony Blair’s government looked into means testing disability benefits! 
    While they are pointing the finger at people with disabilities, with usually the suggestion is that it’s laziness rather than need, people aren’t looking at them! Don’t let them!
    Our judiciary is maligned on a regular basis for being out of touch, but they’ve just ruled against the DWP (or the government) thankfully they are still independent!
    I wish you all, the best of health.

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Perhaps such hostility towards the disabled community merits the response of a universal boycott by para athletes of competing for GB in all international competitions, until the hostility ends. Or public protests during medal ceremonies by successful para athletes?
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Not mentioned welfare in her speech 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Labour are absolutely planing austerity 2025.They(labour)are as bad as the tories.Have no doubt that labour are gunning for all benefit claimants.Sickening that reeves quotes "Sun on Sunday Readers" in order to peddle labours cruel austerity 2025.I voted Labour at the general election never again will I vote for them.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    If DWP operated efficiently and proper systems were in place to get benefit decisions right first time millions of pounds worth of savings could be made at a stroke. 
    Decisions issued by case managers with no medical knowledge, based on dubious medical assessment reports, which often disregard detailed medical evidence from specialists, all too often end up in the appeal process. Much of the process is a lottery.
    This not only a drain on DWP finances but also involves costs to the Tribunal service. 
    Claimants are entitled to fair and consistent treatment and tax payers should be assured that their money is not disappearing into an appeals black hole.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    Btw, sorry for all the posts but you're all helping me up calm down a bit thank you
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Neil Cook You've every reason to worry about the actions of these three self-centric cruels Starmer, Reeves, and Kendall.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 1 days ago
      @Neil Cook You've got nothing to apologise for, we're all in the same boat Neil.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 1 days ago
    If the CUT MP's expenses and house of lords, they would have sufficient to help sick and disabled people! as usual its the worse off who are attacked!

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