Liz Kendall, the welfare secretary, has defied angry Labour MPs to announce significant cuts to the UK’s benefits system that will adversely affect numerous sick and disabled claimants.
The government claims that these measures are essential to “fix the broken benefits system” and balance the nation’s finances, with an expected £5bn reduction in the benefits bill.
As part of the plans, Kendall informed MPs on Tuesday that her department would allocate up to £1bn annually to assist individuals in finding employment, involving initiatives such as supportive calls and intensive training programs.
There are various forms of mental health and benefits support available, including:
- Mind’s support line at 0300 102 1234, offering a secure and confidential space to speak openly, as well as details on where to find help nearby. The welfare benefits line at 0300 222 5782 supports those with mental health issues navigating the benefits system.
- The Samaritans provide free assistance around the clock, 365 days a year, via telephone at 116 123 or email at jo@samaritans.org.
- Scope, a disability charity, runs a forum for discussing experiences and receiving support.
- NHS England offers an online mental health triage service.
- The Trussell Trust’s Help through Hardship helpline (0808 208 2138) offers free and confidential advice.
- The website Benefits and Work provides guides and forums to navigate the benefits system, including benefit applications and appeals.
- Turn2Us offers a free benefits calculator, a grants search service, and the Pip Helper tool to assist with benefit applications.
- The Law Centres website helps locate local benefit support services, and Advicelocal offers a search directory for finding local advice providers.
Labour MPs have strongly opposed the cuts, especially those regarding Personal Independence Payments (Pips), which will be reserved for only the most severely disabled individuals. The eligibility criteria will be stricter, necessitating a score of at least four points in one activity to qualify for the daily living allowance, affecting about 1 million people but saving the government billions.
The government published a green paper alongside Kendall’s statement, considering frequent reassessments of Pip claimants. However, the most severely disabled claimants are exempt from these reassessments. The unpopular Work Capability Assessment will be discontinued by 2028.
The basic rate of universal credit for those seeking or in employment will increase from April 2026, but the incapacity benefit for new claimants deemed unfit for work will be cut. Existing claimants will retain their current level of support, with an added premium for those with severe lifelong conditions who will never work.
The government will also introduce a “right to work” scheme for those receiving incapacity benefits, allowing them to attempt to return to work without forfeiting their entitlements.
Kendall stated that the welfare system is failing the very individuals it is intended to support and is hindering the country’s progress, with 1 in 10 working-age individuals now claiming sickness or disability benefit, and nearly a million young people not in education, employment, or training. Spending on working-age sickness and disability benefits has increased by £20bn since the pandemic and is set to rise by a further £18bn by the end of the current parliament, reaching £70bn annually.
However, Kendall stressed that there will always be individuals unable to work due to the severity of their disability or illness and that the government will always provide support to those in genuine need. She also emphasized that individuals who can work should have the same opportunities as everyone else.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/18/liz-kendall-unveils-drastic-uk-benefits-cuts-to-fix-broken-system
