Healey insists he will bring welfare bill down despite delaying decisions

John Healey said the government would reduce the benefits bill before the next general election, despite postponing major welfare decisions until 2027. The Budget delay drew criticism from opposition Conservatives and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, as forecasts point to rising health-related benefit spending.

The Office for Budget Responsibility expects health-related benefits, including sickness benefits and Personal Independence Payments, to cost £105bn in 2028-29, with about three quarters going to working-age adults. Healey cited face-to-face assessments and Universal Credit changes as measures already under way, and said reforms should help young people into work without resorting to “crude cuts” amid cost-of-living pressures.