Rachel has welcomed changes made by the government to the Welfare Bill. In a statement to constituents she said:
Since learning of planned welfare reforms, I have wanted to be sure that what the government was proposing would deliver on their ambition of ensuring that everyone who can work is working, while protecting the most vulnerable.
I will never accept a benefits system that writes people off and leaves them parked on benefits when they do not need to be, but I was concerned that some of the measures being proposed were not the right ones to achieve this aim.
I welcome plans to support people into work, like a new ‘Right to Try’ for people with disabilities. But I have been concerned about proposed changes to Personal Independent Payments (PIP) which might have left some disabled people who needed help really struggling.
Over recent weeks, I have received many emails from constituents expressing their worry about these reforms — including from those who have told me they rely on the PIP they receive to enable them to work.
I have shared these concerns directly with ministers, including in one-to-one discussions with the Chancellor and the Welfare Secretary. Last week I told the government that I could not commit to supporting these reforms without reassurance on the issues constituents have raised with me.
I do not underestimate the financial pressures on our welfare system. Under the Conservatives, spending on working-age benefits reached £48.5 billion and is forecast to rise to £75.7 billion by 2030 — almost twice the defence budget. It is essential we bring those costs under control.
But any reform must be done in the right way: by supporting people into work, addressing the root causes of unemployment, and protecting the most vulnerable. That is why I welcome changes that have been announced over the past week.
- Changes to PIP will be shelved until a government review is carried out, with a new system co-produced with people with disabilities.
- The government will no longer be freezing the health element of Universal Credit, which would have cost claimants about £250 a year by the end of this parliament, and it will instead rise with inflation.
- The £1 billion budget for helping people into work will be increased, and the spending will be brought forward to this year, ensuring we can start getting more people off benefits and into work right now.
These are all important changes as we begin the process of tackling the root causes of ill health and unemployment. As your MP, I will always speak up for the residents of North Warwickshire and Bedworth and will continue to champion reform of the welfare system that is fair, affordable, and shaped by the views of those most affected.