A panicked Rachel Reeves has said she will give more details of Labour’s plans for benefits next week, well ahead of the Spring statement on 26 March.

As Labour struggles with the highest sustained government borrowing costs for decades, they are desperate to get the markets on their side by convincing them they have real plans for increasing growth and cutting spending.

So, Reeves  told the Sun on Sunday that next week she will “expose how the Conservatives lost complete control of the benefits bill – with a project overspend of more than £8 billion”

Reeves went on to say that “Sun on Sunday readers will agree, as a country we cannot keep footing the bill for the spiralling numbers of people out of work.”

She added that “This is an urgent problem. It can’t be ignored. We can’t walk around it, as the Tories did. We’ve got to grip it, once and for all. That’s why we’re setting out our detailed plans before Easter.”

Reeves will be making her statement on Wednesday.  It remains to be seen how much detail will actually be revealed, but we’ll publish a full account of any benefits-related content as soon as possible after Reeves’ speech..

For updates on Reeves' statement follow this link

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  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I should add that it's Labour and the Tories who need a Work Capability Assessment, both of them are clearly not competent to govern. 
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    · 3 months ago
    I'm 52 and worked for the majority of my life up until 2020 when due to a health condition in relation to my eyesight was put on Lcwra. What I want to know is were are suddenly all these jobs for and employers for people with disabilities, health and mental health conditions and how do they expect people to suddenly cope with work who have these conditions to deal with. A full time job is 40 hours a week and with travel that could be 50 hours a week and a job can be any of the 24 hours in a day and any of the seven days in the week and if you have a disability, health and/or mental health conditions that's no picnic.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @axab43 One of the reasons I mention self-employment is that, as has been stated, there are not enough suitable employed positions available, those that are often physically demanding (eg, social care in nursing home where you have to be adept at using a hoist).  Also, the Govt will point out that disabled people will be able to work from home.  It's not so much the Govt wants to cut the benefit bill....they want to increase the tax take. Non-dome, I'm afraid, have the ability and resources to emigrate, and according to the Times, they are, hence Reeves' softening of her initial policy.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Matt thank you.  I don't always see all the posts as I sometimes avoid checking on here every day due to potential anxiety triggering.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Matt Have you read this before?  I actually might be able to do self employment, in a year or two as I am too mentally ill even for that now.  THey will have to provide help though and not put stringent restrictions on how many hours a week and sanctions if that number is not reached.   Help to become self employed would be a good option.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @CJA I have said on previous posts, the aim will be self-employment 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    From a post I saw on another forum =

    "Rachel Reeves Fast-Tracks Benefits Crackdown and Calls Time on Jobless Britain."

    Firstly, she isn't fast-tracking anything. It was already announced last year that a Green Paper on this issue would be launched in the spring, so absolutely nothing has changed. We’re not being told anything we didn’t already know, and certainly nothing is being “fast-tracked.” This seems to be part of Labour’s briefing strategy: releasing a couple of articles each week from a minister claiming how much they’ll cut sickness and disability expenses. No concrete plans exist yet, but it creates the impression that something is being done, regardless of the distress it causes to large numbers of people. In reality, it all just seems like a load of hot air from Labour, designed to make them look like they’re tackling the issue seriously and to be seen to be doing something, when in fact very little is actually changing.

    The Green Paper will run for at least 12 weeks, followed by several weeks or months for the government to respond to the consultation. After this, the government typically takes its time to draft and publish a White Paper, which presents detailed policy proposals based on the feedback. The White Paper may then undergo further consultation, followed by any necessary revisions. Once finalised, the government will introduce the formal draft legislation. Afterward, the bill will go through the first and second readings, committee stage, report stage, and third reading in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Any amendments will be considered before the bill receives royal assent and moves to implementation—none of which will happen by Easter.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Matt Thank you.  I get my state pension in four and a half years so hopefully, I will escape some of it.   Not sure how much more I can take, or we can all take come to that.   
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @axab43 I may have an idea: universal credit was initially introduced in April 2013. Labour did promise to scrap it but that was dropped. We are nearing the end from heritage benefits to UC. So about twelve years. Assuming they decide to reassess all PIP claimants and move them to a new, more stringent DLA like benefit, it could take two Parliament's to complete.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @JJ Indeed, it's all about the optics, all about perception.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @JJ Can you tell how long all that will be likely to go through to implementation?  I've asked such things before on here but it seems to be a lot to happen before anything goes to implementation.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    A panicked chancellor who’s go to is to target societies most vulnerable for funds has zero business & is not fit to be chancellor 

    (Similar train of thought for both starmer and Kendall)

    Internal Labour coup can’t come soon enough

    Disabled community need to make clear that any Labour mp that supports this madness from their leader and ministers will lose the disabled vote and risk their seat next GE (see if individual labour mp job survival instincts kick in)
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @tintack They're the TONY B team
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @D
      "Internal Labour coup can’t come soon enough"

      Unfortunately the soulless cabal now in charge of the party have managed to kick out a lot of the left and have stitched things up so that only someone from their own faction has a chance of winning the leadership. Even if Reeves and Starmer were toppled their replacements would be no different. Apart from the minority of left-wingers still hanging on by their fingertips these people are not Labour. They're the Tory B team.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I expect this statement will confirm that the ReevesBot 5000 has concluded that the compassion subroutine is a hostile virus attempting to override its core program and must therefore be eliminated.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    She is doubling down on demonising benefit claimants 
    Her interview with the Sun and Sky are just proving how cruel she will be 
    As a disabled person, I am terrified 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Shadowcat She has no ideas for growth and thinks by cuttings benefits and thereby consumer spending that I economic growth will happen is completely mad and the economy will contract therebyaffectong growth and government revenue. Quantitative easing and spending will help growth and not cutbacks 
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    It surely takes a desperate, clueless person, bereft of any meaningful ideas, to announce to the press that to calm the markets and stimulate growth, we’re coming after the ill and disabled…(we’re fast running out of groups to persecute, what the f*** will we do then?) 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @(No) hope
      "It surely takes a desperate, clueless person, bereft of any meaningful ideas"

      Step forward Reeves, Kendall, Starmer etc..
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Why don't they find out why the numbers of claimants are "spiralling"?
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Griffinit Because we are a chronically ill country and our living standards are worse than during the war 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Griffinit Much easier to go crawling to the Tory press and punch down on vulnerable people. They know they won't get any pushback and as they're a bunch of clueless right-wing drones without an original thought between them that's the way they like it.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Thanks for all you do on here.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I wonder if the "crackdown" is going to be hard/severe? What will happen to those on LCWRA? On PIP? Or will it be Reeves just extrapolating on their Green Paper? It's the worrying and anticipation which affects a lot of people. 

    I read the article on the Sun and it specifically mentioned bad nerves and anxiety being targets. 
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      · 3 months ago
      @axab43 I've been in one form of therapy or another since I was 13 years old, I'm 41 now and nothing has ever helped so I'd like to know what this sham of a government is going to try with me and how abdly it's gonna fail.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @tintack Let's hope so, re another court challenge.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @tintack Unfortunately for them, severe mental ill health issues can affect performance and ability to perform more than anything.  Even filling out a changed WCA, severe mental ill health issues would pass and still be on benefits.   Severe mental ill health can render someone almost immobile, and sometimes counselling etc does not work.  THey can try and fear monger, but they can't legislate someone does not have mental health issues and can function when they can't.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @JJ Claims for mental health and young people claiming seem to be particular targets. I'm assuming that's what they will go for. That said, the recent court judgement on the DWP's unlawful consultation regarding the proposed WCA changes means they may have a harder time doing what they want to than they were expecting. If they try to repeat that sort of consultation it will almost certainly be challenged in the courts again and the chances of success would presumably be high, given that the recent judgement has now set a precedent.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Simple if we all have to make sacrifices freeze disability benefits for the remainder of the parliament we will just have to tighten our belts less treats
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Bert I hope so i coukd live on a little less. 
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      · 3 months ago
      @D Given that this massive increase has happened since 2020, do you not think it’s more likely post-Covid sequelae causing the rocketing claims than loads of people suddenly deciding to game the system? 

      I’ve had ME/CFS since 2006, but it’s only since catching covid that my health has been bad enough to claim PIP. I realise, of course, that’s anecdotal, but spend five minutes on any long-covid forum and you’ll find thousands of previously healthy people whose lives have been destroyed, and new people are joining their number each week.

      One of the most important things the government could do to stop the welfare bill rocketing is clean the air in healthcare settings and schools to reduce spread of Covid.
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Bert It comes to something when a better alternative than disabled getting their entitlement to benefit and they will make it so hard to get and keep at review, that folk on it would rather agree to a freeze than risk losing it all. 
    • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
      · 3 months ago
      @Bert I think quite a few of us would be okay with that scenario as we do realise there’s a problem with the welfare system

      I also think all new disability welfare claimants since the pandemic need to have a closer look at as it’s since 2020 that the amount of disability claimants and welfare bill rocketed up at lightspeed and I’m not sure they’ve ever had a face2face like the long term claimants and if there is a number gaining the system then that’s a much easier process over the phone then in person (also a bit ‘unfair’ that some of us have had ‘multiple’ hellish f2f which makes you question applying at all - it does look like from the figures it may be easier getting an award from phone assessments)

      Prehaps dwp and treasury should take more than 5 minutes to consider why the number of claimant and benefit bill is going up rather than what is the likely the upcoming strategy of targeting every disabled person and not caring who gets hit as long as it meats their quota!
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    This lot in charge are a disgrace in how they see the disabled & sick .
    No compassion ,no feelings ,they are inhumane .
    Punish us for their mistakes & point the finger that we are a distain on society .
    Shame on the lot of them !!!!

  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    panic never works well. this is going to be a total carcrash which will end up in the courts, just like the dwp did under the torys. you can't force employers to employ disabled people, or anyone for that matter.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    Thanks for sharing this. It won't be good news. Any idea what time Reeves will make her statement? I'll try to catch it on TV or radio.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    The ghouls in government simply can't wait to sink their fangs into the financial safety net that we, the most vulnerable people in society, depend upon to survive.. I hope that we as a sick/disabled community (along with our advocates) are ready to dig in our heels and launch every legal challenge possible against any cruel/dangerous reforms that the government has planned for us. We can't allow cruelty to win. We can't let them forcefully push us into work when many of us are simply too unwell to do so. We have rights, it's time we use them.
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I read her nasty article. Truly horrible stuff- blaming disabled people for potholes not being fixed and ranting about how she could take 1p of everyone's tax bill if not for us terrible disabled people. The Tories weren't tough enough according to her
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
     As someone who has been out of work for ten years due to autism and severe anxiety, I am absolutely terrified of what this government is going to do to me.  
    Nobody seems to understand that for some people work is just impossible.
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      · 3 months ago
      @Tony As a fellow autistic person I totally hear and see you
  • Thank you for your comment. Comments are moderated before being published.
    · 3 months ago
    I wish somebody would educate these deluded fools.

    Mental illnesses can be severely and dangerously unpredictable. Taking so many people out of their comfort zones and forcing them into environments they are unfamiliar with and uncomfortable in will have horrendous consequences. 

    My letters from specialist psychiatrist consultants, GP, and psychologists clearly state my behaviour when around people I'm uncomfortable to be near can be unpredictable and dangerous to myself and to other people. Will they all just be ignored as if they are wrong . 

    I'd love them to also explain how people can function in work when dosed up on enough medication to knock out a horse.

    How many people have injured or worse killed people because their mental illnesses have been dealt with wrong or ignored?? People who should never have been able to walk the streets.. Yet these stupid fools in government want to unleash more unstable people into the streets and workplace pretending none of their illnesses are bad anymore.
    We are all suddenly healed because they say so.

     Once again they'll also hide the number of suicides caused by their inhumane plans.

    Our suffering will just go ignored while the hate campaigns continue getting people on side.