DWP minister says young people will 'lose benefits' if they refuse to work

Ahead of unveiling measures to reduce the welfare bill, a Cabinet minister has stated that young people will lose their benefits if they refuse work and training opportunities. Liz Kendall emphasised that claimants have a "responsibility" to participate in skills or employment programmes and warned of sanctions for non-compliance as part of upcoming reforms.

The Labour Government intends to uphold the previous Tory administration's goal to cut the welfare bill by £3 billion over five years. Previously, the government planned to tighten welfare eligibility, expecting around 400,000 individuals on long-term sick leave to be reassessed for work readiness by 2028/29 to achieve these savings.

While speaking to broadcasters on Sunday, Ms Kendall did not specify how Labour plans to trim expenses but indicated that the Government will introduce its own set of reforms. On Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, the Work and Pensions Secretary stated: "If people repeatedly refuse to take up the training or work responsibilities, there will be sanctions on their benefits."

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"The reason why we believe this so strongly is that we believe in our responsibility to provide those opportunities, which is what we will do."

In relation to young people, she stated the Government would "transform" opportunities with a "youth guarantee" as part of the reforms, but they would be "required to take them up". Ms Kendall also expressed her belief that "many millions" of disabled individuals and those with long-term health conditions want to work, and "we need to break down the barriers to that happening", reports Cambridgeshire Live.

When asked if around 400,000 people would ultimately lose their current benefits, she told BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: "I'm saying we will bring forward our own reforms. You wouldn't expect me to announce this on your programme."

The latest official forecasts published by the Government indicate the number of people claiming incapacity benefits is expected to rise from approximately 2.5 million in 2019 to 4.2 million in 2029. Last year, there were just over three million claimants.

Ms Kendall will present a series of measures on Tuesday aimed at "getting Britain working" amid Government concerns about the projected increase. Her white paper is anticipated to include the placement of work coaches in mental health clinics and a "youth guarantee" aimed at ensuring those aged 18-21 are working or studying.

The Cabinet minister said the reasons for the increased number of claims are "complex" and that Britain is "an older and also sicker nation".

Liz Kendall, the shadow minister for care and older people, has raised concerns about the state of mental health in the UK. She acknowledged that while some individuals may have "self-diagnosed" their mental health issues, there is also a "genuine problem" that needs addressing.

"I think there are a combination of factors here," she commented. "I do think we are seeing an increase in the number of people with mental health problems, both self-diagnosed – I think it's good that stigma has been reduced – but also diagnosed by doctors."

Kendall also highlighted the increasing number of older individuals, particularly women, who are suffering from physical ailments such as bad knees and hips. "We've got a real problem with our health service," she stated.

When asked if "normal feelings" are being wrongly classified as medical conditions, Ms Kendall told the BBC: "I genuinely believe there's not one simple thing. You know, the last government said people were too bluesy to work. I mean, I don't know who they were speaking to. There is a genuine problem with mental health in this country."

She outlined the Government's plan to revamp the system to ensure young people have access to employment or education opportunities. "But in return for those new opportunities, young people will have a responsibility to take them up," she insisted.

"Let me tell you why, because if you lack basic skills in today's world, that is brutal. If you are out of work when you're young, that can have lifelong consequences in terms of your future job prospects and earnings potential."

Kendall concluded by emphasising the Government's commitment to providing support for young people, contrasting it with the previous administration's approach. "So, we, the Government, will face up to our responsibility, unlike the last government, of having that guarantee in place."

Following Sir Keir Starmer's promise in a Mail On Sunday op-ed to crack down on "criminals" who "game the system", the Prime Minister has responded with his own pledge. He wrote: "In the coming months, Mail On Sunday readers will see even more sweeping changes. Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society."

He further stated: "Don't get me wrong, we will crack down hard on anyone who tries to game the system, to tackle fraud, so we can take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters. There will be a zero-tolerance approach to these criminals. My pledge to Mail On Sunday readers is this: I will grip this problem once and for all."

However, he also emphasised that he would not "call people shirkers or go down the road of division", promising instead to treat them "with dignity and respect".

Kevin Hollinrake, the Shadow Housing Secretary, welcomed Labour's attention to the issue but stressed the need for appropriate action. He said: "It was a phenomenon caused largely by the pandemic, we were dealing with it already, there's more we need to do. It's really important Labour do deal with it."

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