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Badenoch lays out £36bn Tory welfare cut plan and defends slashing disability benefits – UK politics live
Kemi Badenoch is setting out a Conservative plan to cut welfare spending by £36bn, with a speech and policy document called *Welfare That Works*. She says publishing the proposals now would give voters clarity about what a Conservative government would do, and argues that current spending on working-age benefits is harming the economy.
More than a third of the proposed savings would come from sickness and disability benefits. Badenoch says the system should focus on what people can do while maintaining support for those unable to work; the article notes that this portrayal of Labour’s position is misleading and says an upcoming report by Alan Milburn is also expected to emphasise people’s abilities. The proposals have been made before, with the new document offering more detail on how some cuts would be implemented.
In short
- Badenoch sets out a Conservative plan to cut welfare by £36bn.
- More than a third of the savings would come from sickness and disability benefits.
- She says the proposals are being published to avoid surprises for voters.
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The case for
Supporters argue that rising working-age benefit spending can place pressure on public finances and weaken incentives or pathways into employment, so reform is needed to make the system sustainable and help more people work where possible. They say clearer rules and a focus on individuals’ capabilities can preserve support for those unable to work while directing assistance more effectively.
The case against
Critics argue that deep cuts, especially to sickness and disability benefits, risk reducing essential support for people whose conditions limit their ability to work, and may worsen hardship without creating realistic routes into employment. They also contend that savings targets can put pressure on people to prove incapacity and that the proposals offer too little assurance that vulnerable claimants will be protected.
Explained simply
Working-age benefits are payments for people below state pension age who have low incomes, are out of work or have health conditions that affect their ability to work. Sickness and disability benefits provide financial support to people whose conditions limit their daily activities or employment.
Kemi Badenoch leads the Conservative Party, which is in opposition to the UK’s Labour government. The Conservatives’ proposals set out how they say they would reduce welfare spending if they returned to government; similar ideas have been put forward before, with this document giving more detail on how some changes might work.
The debate matters because benefit rules affect people’s incomes and the support available to those with health conditions, as well as public spending and the wider economy. Parties also disagree over how to assess people’s ability to work while ensuring support reaches those who need it.