Benefits news live: DWP to announce drastic PIP disability cuts in major welfare reforms
Work and Pensions minister Liz Kendall is expected to make the announcement in Parliament this afternoon, with many of the planned changes will focus on making reforms to personal independence payments (PIP) by changing eligibility criteria.
PIP has come in for scrutiny by the Labour government as it makes up the largest portion of the benefits bill and is predicted to cost around 34bn by 2030.
Kendall is also expected to announce reforms the work capability assessment (WCA), which could see those on long-term sickness leave lose their benefits if they aren't actively seeking work.
Follow the live blog from Yahoo News for all the latest developments:
Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately yesterday questioned whether Liz Kendall has secured Cabinet approval for her plans to reform benefits.
Whately told the Commons: 'We heard yesterday that the Cabinet has not yet seen the welfare plan that (Kendall) is apparently due to announce tomorrow. Given all the media briefings, the apprehension of disabled people and the growing number of people not working, none of us would want to see that delayed.
'So can she assure us that she has got collective agreement so she can announce her plan here in this chamber tomorrow?'
Work and Pensions Secretary Kendall said Whately would have to 'show a little patience' and criticised the Tories for 'never' having a plan on benefits.
Whately countered: 'I was listening very hard to that answer and from everything I heard she still doesn't have the support of her Cabinet colleagues with less than 24 hours to go. It was a no.'
People on long-term sickness benefits should not 'languish there forever,' Pat McFadden said as he confirmed reassessment reforms would be among welfare changes set out by the Government on Tuesday.
Asked whether support for people with mental health conditions should be 'time-limited,' the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told Times Radio: 'We do think it requires support, but we don't think it renders people permanently… reassessments will be part of the package announced today.
'We want people, if they're on long-term sickness benefits, not to languish there forever, but to be reassessed.
'There have been too few reassessments in recent years.'
The Cabinet is united behind efforts to slash the welfare bill, one of Sir Keir Starmer's closest allies said as the Government braced for a backlash to its benefits curbs.
Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and a key figure behind the scenes in the Starmer administration, insisted the plans being unveiled on Tuesday were 'entirely in line with the values of the Labour Party'.
Read the full story from PA.
Shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately yesterday questioned whether Liz Kendall has secured Cabinet approval for her plans to reform benefits.
Whately told the Commons: 'We heard yesterday that the Cabinet has not yet seen the welfare plan that (Kendall) is apparently due to announce tomorrow. Given all the media briefings, the apprehension of disabled people and the growing number of people not working, none of us would want to see that delayed.
'So can she assure us that she has got collective agreement so she can announce her plan here in this chamber tomorrow?'
Work and Pensions Secretary Kendall said Whately would have to 'show a little patience' and criticised the Tories for 'never' having a plan on benefits.
Whately countered: 'I was listening very hard to that answer and from everything I heard she still doesn't have the support of her Cabinet colleagues with less than 24 hours to go. It was a no.'
People on long-term sickness benefits should not 'languish there forever,' Pat McFadden said as he confirmed reassessment reforms would be among welfare changes set out by the Government on Tuesday.
Asked whether support for people with mental health conditions should be 'time-limited,' the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told Times Radio: 'We do think it requires support, but we don't think it renders people permanently… reassessments will be part of the package announced today.
'We want people, if they're on long-term sickness benefits, not to languish there forever, but to be reassessed.
'There have been too few reassessments in recent years.'
The Cabinet is united behind efforts to slash the welfare bill, one of Sir Keir Starmer's closest allies said as the Government braced for a backlash to its benefits curbs.
Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and a key figure behind the scenes in the Starmer administration, insisted the plans being unveiled on Tuesday were 'entirely in line with the values of the Labour Party'.
Read the full story from PA.
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