Government makes concessions to Labour rebels over welfare reforms
The government has made an offer to rebel Labour MPs over its controversial welfare reforms, Sky News understands.
More than 120 Labour MPs were poised to vote against the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Bill on Tuesday.
The changes come after a ring-around by cabinet ministers failed to bring rebels on side.
The bill was intended to restrict eligibility for the PIP - the main disability payment in England- and limit the sickness-related element of universal credit, to help shave £5bn off the welfare budget by 2030.
Sky News political editor Beth Rigby has been told that existing PIP claimants will be able to keep their payments, which means 370,000 people will not lose out. This will cost the government at least £1.5bn, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Sky News understands that a senior source has accepted the change, but it will be up to each individual rebel to make a decision on whether to withdraw.
The source said they think the changes are a "good package" with "generous concessions".
A reasoned amendment signed by 126 Labour MPs argued that disabled people had not been properly consulted and further scrutiny of the changes is needed. If passed, this would have killed the bill.
Other concessions offered by the government include allowing existing claimants to keep the health element of Universal Credit.
Sky News understands that some senior rebels are willing to accept the concessions - with one saying that "the concessions will be positively received, and I expect to vote with the government now".
Other MPs who had not wanted to rebel were also expecting to change their votes.
However, several Labour MPs on the left of the party have gone public to say they will still oppose the government, including Diane Abbott, Richard Burgon, Nadia Whittome and Brian Leishman.
Conservative shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said the change would mark a "screeching U-turn" - and claimed the changes mark "another unfunded spending commitment".
What is PIP?
The biggest shakeup to the system involved changes to PIP - money given to people, including some of whom are in work - who have extra care needs or mobility needs as a result of a disability.
People who claim it are awarded points depending on their ability to do certain activities, such as washing and preparing food, and this influences how much they will receive.
From November 2026, people would have needed to score a minimum of four points in at least one activity to qualify for the daily living element of PIP - instead of fewer points spread across a range of tasks.
This would have impacted existing claimants as well as new ones. The government's concessions are understood to see this change dropped for existing claimants.
The government intended to freeze the health element of universal credit, claimed by more than two million people, at £97 a week during this parliament, and cut the rate to £50 for new claimants.
Again, it's understood the government's concessions mean this change now won't apply to existing claimants.
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Ian Blackford was the SNP leader in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2022, and an MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber from 2015 to 2024.
