DWP secretary Liz Kendall says people 'will lose benefits' in 'big reforms'

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has 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.”

She was speaking as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Sunday his Government will crack down on the benefits bill. He said Liz Kendall will announce a range of new DWP laws in the days ahead.

Liz Kendall said that she believed “many millions” of disabled people and those with long-term health problems want to work, and “we need to break down the barriers to that happening”. The Work and Pensions Secretary promised “big reforms”, telling Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Look, don’t get me wrong, the benefits system can incentivise or disincentivise work. But there are many other things we need to do to get people back into work.

“I do not want an ever-increasing benefits bill spent on the cost of failure, people trapped out of work, terrible for their life chances and paid for by the taxpayer. We need big reforms to make that happen.”

Official forecasts published by her department this week show that the number of people claiming incapacity benefits is expected to climb from a pre-pandemic figure of around 2.5 million in 2019 to around 4.2 million in 2029. Last year there were just over three million claimants.

The Prime Minister wrote: “In the coming months, Mail on Sunday readers will see even more sweeping changes. Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society. Don’t get me wrong, we will crack down hard on anyone who tries to game the system, to tackle fraud so we can take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters.

“There will be a zero-tolerance approach to these criminals. My pledge to Mail on Sunday readers is this: I will grip this problem once and for all.”

Ms Kendall’s white paper is expected to include the placement of work coaches in mental health clinics and a “youth guarantee” aimed at ensuring those aged 18-21 are working or studying.