A major Welfare Reform Push is now officially underway. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden announced this critical effort. He stated reform “must happen” to address systemic issues. This Welfare Reform Push aims to help people get necessary support. It also addresses the rapidly rising cost of benefits. McFadden spoke just two weeks after assuming his new role. He vowed to press ahead with significant changes.
Therefore, the government recently scrapped a flagship policy. This policy would have cut £5bn from disability benefits. They avoided a humiliating defeat by Labour MPs. Now, the Welfare Reform Push will take a different approach. Then, tens of thousands on sickness benefits will get new offers. They will receive skills training and employment support. Currently, they have no requirement to seek work.
Furthermore, this new direction follows a notable U-turn. Proposed changes to PIP and Universal Credit were abandoned. Those reforms aimed to save £5bn annually by 2030. However, scrapping them creates pressure for the upcoming Budget. The chancellor may need to find £20bn-£30bn through other means. A review of PIP payments is now ongoing. However, McFadden insists reform will not wait for the report.
However, he firmly rejected the idea of halting changes. Welfare reform is happening continuously, he asserted. He warned against circling the wagons around the current system. McFadden did not rule out future eligibility tightening. Moreover, this could affect Universal Credit for those under age 22. He emphasized the system’s current unhealthiness for people. It pushes up the benefits bill long-term by not helping potential workers.
Moreover, the challenge is indeed immense. Approximately 3.7 million working-age people receive health-related benefits. The bill is forecast to reach £100bn by 2030. McFadden visited a Job Centre in Barking to understand realities. However, he met women whose lives were transformed by trauma. They spoke movingly about domestic violence and health crises. Specialized work coaches gave them renewed confidence and hope.
furthermore, McFadden criticized the system’s “binary divide”. It separates people into fit or not fit for work unhealthily. His solution involves 1,000 specially trained staff. They will offer voluntary support to those on sickness benefits. Therefore, these Pathways to Work advisers are now in every job centre. The minister called it wrong to leave people untouched for years. This welfare reform push seeks to finally change that.
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