Benefit claimants must “play by the rules” and find a job or risk losing their benefits, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said.
Mel Stride has attacked Labor’s “reckless” plans to soften welfare sanctions, vowing to deliver greater fairness to taxpayers.
He made the remarks in an article for The Telegraph as he ramped up the Conservatives’ attacks on Sir Keir Starmer as a soft touch on social rights.
The Minister announced plans to remove privileges and benefits from claimants who are able to work but choose not to work.
Under the proposal, those who refuse to look for work would lose access to free prescriptions and discounted bus travel after six months.
If they still cannot find a job, their benefits will be cut off after 18 months.
‘Strong safety net’
“At the core of this approach is my belief in justice. We will always provide a robust safety net to protect people from adversity,” Mr. Stride wrote.
“But we will also balance that obligation with the expectation that those who can work should always do so. “This is fair action and something taxpayers rightly expect.”
He added that ministers would match “support for those who need it most” with “expectations for people to play by the rules” by looking for work.
Mr Stride attacked Labor’s proposal to include an end to “criminal sanctions” on welfare recipients in its manifesto, condemning the move as a “reckless approach” and saying it would cost taxpayers an extra £2bn over the course of the next parliament.
Rishi Sunak also took aim at Sir Keir’s stance on aid as he delivered a gun-toting speech that launched the year-long election campaign.
Speaking at an event at Accrington Stanley Football Club, the Prime Minister said the Labor leader had no plan for “how to control welfare spending”.
vote winner
These statements show that the Conservative Party believes that a tough stance on social benefits will win votes and that they are trying to make the issue an important dividing line.
Mr Stride is set to table new legislation on Tuesday that will increase housing support for the poorest families by £800 a year.
Around 1.6 million private tenants receiving assistance will have their payments increased to help them cope with the cost of living crisis.
The major increase, which will be reflected in bank accounts from April, will be the first time the level of housing benefit has increased since 2020.
Ministers hope increasing the payments will help encourage more applicants to study.
Campaigners said housing insecurity can lead to anxiety and is a key factor stopping people from applying for jobs.
It comes after official forecasts revealed two million more people will start receiving disability benefits by the end of this decade.
The rise in mental health problems will increase the welfare bill for long-term patients by £17bn to £48bn by 2030.
Justice at the center of welfare reforms as housing benefit increases
Written by: Mel Stride, Minister for Work and Pensions
I have a confession. My New Year’s resolution is not to read more novels, play darts, or run a marathon.
In 2024, I will be guided by one simple priority: Putting more people in good jobs.
We start the new year in a good place. Whether it’s making work payable or modernizing the benefits system, conservative reforms have led to nearly four million more people becoming employed since 2010.
The number of jobs in the economy is at a record high, reaching nearly 37 million, and our unemployment rate is below many of our international peers, including Canada, France and Spain.
We have reduced the number of economically inactive by over 300,000 since the peak of the pandemic. We’ve also cut National Insurance, which means 27 million people will get more pay; some households earn almost £1,000.
But now my department is introducing the next generation of welfare reforms to help more people on their journey off benefits and into work.
The basis of this approach is my belief in justice. We will always provide a robust safety net to protect people from difficult situations, but we will also balance this obligation with the expectation that those who can work should always do so. This is fair behavior and something that taxpayers rightfully expect.
‘£800 is better’
And today we are making changes that will mean some of the most financially vulnerable households will be better off by an average of £800 a year. From Glasgow to Gosport, 1.6 million households will receive further support with housing costs, which we know is one of the main sources of cost of living pressure.
We will increase Local Housing Allowance payments by £7 billion over the next five years, giving more tenants and landlords peace of mind that rent will be paid.
But we are also introducing our Return to Work Plan, which will provide more than a million people with the tailored support they need to find work that suits them, reducing their dependence on the state.
The Chancellor’s expanded investment in programs such as Universal Support will help thousands more people who face the toughest barriers to work move into positions. And our reforms to Work Ability Assessments will more than halve the numbers receiving the highest levels of disability benefits in the coming years.
The plan also includes new measures to ensure that social assistance claims are closed for people who are healthy and able, have received 18 months of support, but still refuse to work.
With this balanced approach – supporting those who need it most but expecting people to play by the rules – we will maintain our positive record on employment. This is a development that improves the life chances of 700,000 more children now growing up with a working parent, compared to more than a decade ago.
‘We are turning the corner’
Contrast this with Sir Keir Starmer’s reckless approach. Labour’s only serious proposal for welfare reform is to soften welfare sanctions at a potential cost of £2bn. And the £28bn spending plans will increase borrowing, overwhelming households with extra tax and inflation. It is no surprise that Sir Keir’s party did not leave office with lower unemployment than they inherited.
We know that the cost of living remains the public’s number one priority. The Prime Minister’s successful mission to reduce inflation clearly reflects this priority, and today’s increase in support for tenants is just one part of the £104bn aid package. But as the economy worsens, we make work pay even more by lowering taxes on employees and the self-employed and increasing real wages, giving people more opportunities to increase their income through work.
Although the year is just beginning, I am confident that our approach to wellbeing policy, helping people enjoy the full benefits of employment while protecting the most vulnerable, will change lives for years to come.