Would You like a feature Interview?
All Interviews are 100% FREE of Charge
Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has refused to back the Government’s efforts to tighten access to disability benefits, while criticising Conservative welfare cuts.
talk I During a campaign visit to west London, Mr Reeves refused to say whether Labour would continue talks with the Government over a review of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and appeared to criticise the Conservatives’ cuts to “jobs support”.
In 2016, the Conservative government cut Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) by £30 for recipients deemed capable of looking for work.
Rishi Sunak is attempting to confront Labour on welfare through a consultation on the PIP system, which could see some disabled people’s benefits reduced or cancelled entirely if they are deemed not to be covering high costs as a result of their condition.
The pledge comes as part of a package of reforms to make the UK welfare system “sustainable and fit for the future” after a huge rise in the number of people taking time off work due to ill mental health.
Questioner I If Labour intends to continue the government consultation on PIP, Mr Reeves acknowledged there has been a 20 per cent increase in the number of economically “inactive” people aged 16 to 65 who are not looking for work, but refused to say whether Labour would continue the consultation.
She instead highlighted her party’s plans to cut NHS waiting lists and make it easier for benefit recipients to work more hours without losing their benefits.
PIP is paid to disabled people, including many working disabled people, regardless of their financial situation, to help with additional living expenses if they have a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability that makes it difficult for them to carry out certain everyday tasks.
The Prime Minister is trying to end the “sick to work culture” where people are told by their doctor to take time off if they are ill, and more than 400,000 people receiving additional unemployment benefits for health reasons face having to find work under wider reforms to the system.
Visiting a supermarket in Iceland, Mr Reeves said: “I spoke to one of the staff here today whose wife has been waiting two years for an operation on the NHS and as a result he is now the sole breadwinner in his family.”
“His wife wants to work but cannot work while she is waiting for treatment at the hospital.
“We want to reduce NHS waiting lists, which is why we’ve put extra money into it by making cuts, cracking down on tax evasion and making sure non-residents pay their fair share of tax.
“We will also be looking at reforms to the welfare system, including barriers to people taking on additional hours of work because of the way the benefit system is structured.”
Asked again whether Labour would support a welfare crackdown of the kind proposed by the government, Mr Reeves criticised the Conservatives’ welfare cuts and chose to highlight his party’s plans.
She said: “At the moment we have an absurd system where sometimes it doesn’t make sense for people to work extra hours, and of course it comes at an increased cost to the taxpayer, so we need to make sure the benefits system always rewards work.”
“It’s also important that people, particularly those with disabilities, have the support they need to get into work. The vast majority of people with disabilities want to work and should be supported to do so if they are able to.”
“But of course employment support and access to work have been cut and under this Conservative government many people who want and can work are unable to do so.”