Head of DWP won't say if 400,000 will still lose £400 a month

Liz Kendall has declined to say whether 400,000 people due to lose benefits money under previous Tory plans would keep their benefits under reforms to be announced by Labour. It was put to her that under the former government’s plans, 400,000 people would be denied as much as £400 a month.

The Work and Pensions Secretary told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “We will deliver those savings, we will bring forward our own reforms. You will hear more about this when we launch our white paper on Tuesday.”

Asked whether those people will be able to keep their benefits, she said: “I’m saying we will bring forward our own reforms. You wouldn’t expect me to announce this on your programme. But my objective is that disabled people should have the same chances and rights to work as everybody else.”

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Ms Kendall has said she believes there are people who can work but will not do so. Speaking to BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, the Work and Pensions Secretary said: “I know from speaking with our job coaches that there are people who could work who aren’t, but I think they are in the minority.”

When asked what the Government would do to tackle this, Ms Kendall said: “We will bring forward our own reforms.” She said people who refuse to engage with the Government’s training or work programmes will lose benefits.

Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme, she said: “If people repeatedly refuse to take up the training or work responsibilities, there will be sanctions on their benefits.

“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.

“We will transform those opportunities but young people will be required to take them up.”