Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to press ahead with savage welfare cuts, describing the current system as “unsustainable, indefensible and unfair”.

Freya

Exactly which “money, has this gov *thrown away*”?

In terms of farmers, I’m torn tbh, the IHT proposed is lower, will only affect those with £1m+, and can be paid across 5 years.

Perhaps if people like Clarkson hadn’t bragged about avoiding IHT this wouldn’t have happened.

I feel more sorry for all the tenant farmers, barely scrapping a living, doing all the donkey work and no assets to show for it!

Elegran

If Liz Kendall is laying out overall proposals next week, Wes Streeting wouldn't be stealing her thunder by telling all in an interview. "Streeting told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "I haven't seen the proposals but you've seen the briefing, you've seen the speculation, I think the moral of the story is wait for the plans."

There is no point in firing our guns at half-cock, they could be aiming in the wrong direction. Wait until we see the whites of their eyes.

Absolutely, there’s always such an outcry at the “might” “may” “is looking into”

Let’s wait and see what is actually going to be implemented.

Those extremely worried should also write to their MPs

If Liz Kendall is laying out overall proposals next week, Wes Streeting wouldn't be stealing her thunder by telling all in an interview. "Streeting told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "I haven't seen the proposals but you've seen the briefing, you've seen the speculation, I think the moral of the story is wait for the plans."

There is no point in firing our guns at half-cock, they could be aiming in the wrong direction. Wait until we see the whites of their eyes.

I think the bigger worry is messing with the PIP criteria?

Things are l9oking hopeful for PIP so keep up with inflation. However, West Streeting was on the Laura K programme this morning and did not confirm that this would be the case. A journalist on the programme pointed out that we could have put a lot of worried people's minds at rest, BT he didn't.

Casdon

Barleyfields

You don’t appear to know much about the family farms which will have to be sold to pay IHT SoD. The value of their land, buildings, machinery and stock may take them over the threshold whilst they live off an overdraft. They are by no means wealthy. The same applies to owners of other small businesses.

They are in fact wealthy, although their assets are tied up in their property, land and stock. The disabled people StoneofDensity is referring to often have none of those assets.

Neither have I those sort of assets, unless you count my home of course.
I support farmers passing on their heritage to keep the farms going,my neice family is one, who works all year round, pays their taxes and provides wheat, barley, vegetables to our massively growing population. Having to sell these viable farms because some others don't have that option, oh dear, how very short sighted of this Gov. The money raised will be minimal, considering what this Government have already thrown away abroad.

(sorry for repetition there, Elegran). a key factor however is where is the extra support coming from.

It looks as if PIP will not be frozen, following discussions in the Labour Party, but this was not unexpected. Liz Kendall is laying out overall proposals next week. Quite a lot of good detail in the article as it includes snippets like

"Part of the reform will also include a "right to try" guarantee - allowing people with disabilities the opportunity to take up employment without the risk of losing their benefits if it does not work out"

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9dgwe1q27o


www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9dgwe1q27o

Ilovecheese

I don't understand why any Labour politician can contemplate cutting PIP or making it harder to get. It seems just plain vicious. Being disabled is an expensive business, surely the Labour Party should be trying to make life better, not worse.
Not updating PIP in line with inflation will, I understand, require a vote in parliament. Maybe some Labour MPs will discover their moral compass at that stage.

Your answer to this is clear now, Ilovecheese , in Cabbie21 s post this morning (Sun 16-Mar-25 08:07:39)

"This morning’s news tells us that PIP payments will not be frozen but will continue to rise in line with the cost of living. Disability claimants ( presumably ESA and UC) will be able to try going back to work without losing their right to benefits if they are unable to stay in the job."

Being able to try returning to a job without knowing they have to start the claim all over again if the trial period doesn't succeed should encourage more people to have another go at working.

Apologies for my poor tech skills but, anyone interested can read an article in today’s DMail by David Blunkett, a man who knows a thing or two about living with disability.
He supports the governments plans, with an interesting reference to the proud Miners marching back to the pits with signs COAL NOT DOLE. Those men knew that however hard their work was, it was better than the dole.

I worked in former mining areas, where once proud miners had sunk into drug and alcohol abuse after losing their community and pride. It took an army of mothers, aunts, sisters to keep that sense of community and step in to care for children whose parents were no longer capable. Luckily there were family centres with drug/health/social workers able to support these families. Now we have many more children in the care system because support services were destroyed over the last 14 years.

This morning’s news tells us that PIP payments will not be frozen but will continue to rise in line with the cost of living. Disability claimants ( presumably ESA and UC) will be able to try going back to work without losing their right to benefits if they are unable to stay in the job.

* transitioning*

Wyllow3

Its not clear what they will do with PIP except suggestions to tighten up on judgments on some aspects of the points system, the one thats clear so far is the gradual abolition of ESA (which is basically the version of Universal Credit for those who cannot work) which is a more generous payment than UC and ESA will revert for all to UC.

However those traditions from ESA will receive a premium payment

Ilovecheese

And again, the amount of fraud in PIP is estimated to be nil.

Estimated by whom?? I know for a fact there are fraudulent applications. Is this “irony”

However, I’d concentrate on getting everyone and every organisation to pay their full taxes!

Ziplok

Primrose53

He would do better concentrating on The Speaker who has spent £250,000on luxury flights for himself and his wife and two staff all over the world.

He already gets to live in an extremely opulent palace.

I’m interested to know where you got this information from. How do you know this? Can you back up this claim with relevant detail that we can read for ourselves please? Your comment lacks detail.

I already put a link up plus it’s been on several TV channels

Barleyfields

You don’t appear to know much about the family farms which will have to be sold to pay IHT SoD. The value of their land, buildings, machinery and stock may take them over the threshold whilst they live off an overdraft. They are by no means wealthy. The same applies to owners of other small businesses.

They are in fact wealthy, although their assets are tied up in their property, land and stock. The disabled people StoneofDensity is referring to often have none of those assets.

Ilovecheese

And again, the amount of fraud in PIP is estimated to be nil.

I'm not surprised to hear that. It'd damned difficult to get and keep even for people who are really deserving.

I’ve seen fraud of disability benefits and of the motorbility scheme

Cossy You made me chuckle!

Its not clear what they will do with PIP except suggestions to tighten up on judgments on some aspects of the points system, the one thats clear so far is the gradual abolition of ESA (which is basically the version of Universal Credit for those who cannot work) which is a more generous payment than UC and ESA will revert for all to UC.

And again, the amount of fraud in PIP is estimated to be nil.

I don't understand why any Labour politician can contemplate cutting PIP or making it harder to get. It seems just plain vicious. Being disabled is an expensive business, surely the Labour Party should be trying to make life better, not worse.
Not updating PIP in line with inflation will, I understand, require a vote in parliament. Maybe some Labour MPs will discover their moral compass at that stage.

I am worried for people with disabilities who may see their PIP vanish who really need it.
Often the ones who know how to answer questions are the ones who really benefit while those who answer honestly could face cuts.

Wyllow3

Luckygirl3

Indeed sensationalist and very annoying.

But "Starmer takes a look at reforming benefits system" doesn't really cut the mustard in today's sensation-speak world. The papers have their funders' to please with circulation figures and need something that will catch the eye on the news stand.

I'm sure it's possible to choose a nifty headline without lying.....and causing unnecessary alarm.

It's definitely possible - but do any papers actually pursue that possibility?

Fartooold

You deserve an amazing holiday with your dear family, I hope that’s exactly what you all get!

Look out for any wooden spoons