This is absolutely shocking if true. A government's treatment of its most vulnerable citizens is a key indicator of its humanity and the strength of its social fabric. Enough is enough
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Didn’t Blair try this and backed down pretty quickly when he was faced with lots of opposition? Back then social media didn’t exist and newspapers focussed on news not clicks; it must be awful for people to have to keep seeing these sort of headlines and articles with no substance.
The rate of fraudulent PIP claims turned out to be effectively zero, so they'll just take it away from some people instead.
At the other extreme, estates of millionaire landowners will be subject to just half the rate of inheritance tax, with 10 years to pay. A proper wealth tax is needed.
This would be no surprise if this were a Tory Govt, but it's labour, who is supposed to put the vulnerable first. Before they even consider such drastic steps, they ought to have exhausted all other options, LIKE TAKING THE ULTRA RICH 2% TO GENERATE £24 BILLION!!!
The rising cost of sickness and disability benefits can largely be attributed to increased poverty causing more ill health and soaring waiting lists delaying people's return to work.
The Tories used Atos and Capita to assess disabled people
paid millions of tax payers cash,Cancer sufferers,MS sufferers,
Mental Health,Amputees,all put thro what they called degrading
exam,Labour will now cut out the middle man,
Doubly so when tax breaks are allowed for wealthy individuals.
"A non-dom only pays UK tax on the money they earn in the UK. They do not have to pay tax to the UK government on money made elsewhere in the world (unless they pay that money into a UK bank account)." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32216346
It’s just cruel - even to contemplate it anyone with any empathy at all would question why one would penalise people for whom life is challenging anyway.
I get your point I think MSM is telling it their way which is always going to be negative. If Labour had said they would look at getting people back to work and reduce the welfare bill - but to specify the cuts before they did that signals they’re taking an axe to it. 🙏 for pointing that out.
If you look at everything they have actually said, that is what they are saying.
There may be some cuts, such as the freeze on PIP, which is unfortunate, but they are currently caught by their own rules, designed to restore trust, being exploited by a flood of misinformation in advance of statements
Maybe - but they could modernise and create a more efficient system without suggesting that many people are awarded benefits erroneously and shirking work - it just allows right wing people to bash those people. They are raising the bar on PIP but it’s really difficult to get an award anyway.
It seems very vague and disjointed, quoting big figures to make people angry and I bet there won’t be any mea culpa if they are proven wrong, but people will remain angry at Labour anyway 🙄
New Labour didn’t lose the election because they were arrogant! They lost because they had been in power for 13 years and people were struggling post global financial crisis.
Blame the LDs for years of Tory power, they enabled them!
Labour's idea of how to beat the Tories was to become the Tories. I said it before the election, and as a lifelong Labour member, I wanted them to lose. It was the only way the Party would be able to rid itself of cunts like Starmer. I fear the UK faces a generation of right-wing governments.
Can't we all just STFU with these reactions to speculation?
IFF the actual Government announce, or even propose, half of this stuff, that's the time to hit the streets (rather than the keyboards!).
But while it's just hacks looking for clickbait, DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS.
You’re welcome to “put your trust in Jesus,” but we are not putting our trust in this “new” Labour Party. They plan cuts to Universal Credit, PIP and plan on making ESA harder to qualify for as well.
They are specifically targeting those unable to work.
Government's routinely leak their current thinking to the press to see if there will be pushback. If none, they will do what is convenient for them. If there is pushback, they then have to consider what is best for them and the electorate - otherwise they lose their seats.
British pensioners are dying of cold and hunger. Disabled people are being thrown on the scrap heap, our NHS is falling apart. And we’re giving you £3bn a year? Nah.
Your war is not our problem. Sort out your own mistakes.
You're a Russian bot, Edward. It's obvious from a quick check of your posts. You might want to try harder not to be so obvious, but then, you're having lots of success in places like America—so perhaps there's no need.
We’ve put up with this cruel approach for 14 years & were hoping for something more humane & preferably getting people with the most money to pay more ie the millionaires/billionaires rather than punching down at the most vulnerable. I dislike this govt as much as the previous administration
A failure of the Starmer Party(TM) to understand it will be kicked out of government at the next election. No amount of pandering to the right wing is going to save him. Maybe.
The Labour party are taking a few £hundred off of 1 million disabled people on benefits instead of a few £hundred off of the UK’s 2 million millionaires! That is a political choice to fuck over the disabled who can’t afford it & not just tax the rich, who could easily afford it.
I find it pays to look at what the govt is actually saying, rather than what a newspaper owned by Russian oligarch says they are saying. The govt have said they want to remove some of the obstacles that people on a PIP who want to work have, that are stopping them from working.
What if Starmer's mission is not to preserve the Labour Party, but to further wreck our social safety net & NHS? That's how he acts, & the signs were all there before the last GE.
His concentration on world affairs are him building up for a statesman role when he’s ousted after one term. Reeves isn’t returning the country to growth. So, let’s attack the disabled. This isn’t a Labour government. Or a fiscally competent one. Awful state of affairs. #Billionaires #TaxDodgers
It can't be a lie if it's from a major news provider like the indy, but it's important to go beyond the headline and cross-reference. Still, I think the major news outlets remain basically trustworthy as far as facts are concerned. Correct me please if I'm misguided.
I don't understand why all these stories are saying there's proposed changes and/or freezes to PIP, acknowledge PIP isn't related to employment status and then quote what PM, Reeves or Kendall have said about too many didabled people who want to aren't being helped into work.
Here's the thing. Government's leak these stories to the press deliberately, to see how they are received. If they get no pushback, they will do what is convenient to them and not consider the electorate. By us responding to these stories they see this is not a popular policy and may review it.
That's certainly a factor. Other factors could be politicians/officials briefing press for their own reasons or the press making something out of nothing because they're not getting briefed. As this is a second hand story, there's a good argument it could be the latter...
I'm sure that changes are coming and I'm not saying people shouldn't air their views, only that it's sensible to keep things in perspective until more is known.
The government is taking a very extreme view about disabled people here. They ought to do something about the job market before trying to push people into work that doesn't exist, or might as well not exist if you're disabled
Without seeing the actual policy announcement, I feel less inclined to get my knickers in a twist just yet. If the idea is to reform the criteria for PIP, I think the DWP will find that disabled people have not suddenly shaken off their disabilities and will still qualify. Just appeasing the RW!
The DWP already forces people to do a mandatory reconsideration and then Appeal to delay paying PIP for 2 years... How do you think a criteria change is going to alter the already 0% fraud rate of PIP?
There is the added cruelty that governments have been responsible for decisions not to sufficiently fund and protect biomedical research into chronic illnesses and conditions such as ME, along with a lack of prompt and effective treatment and support for those with mental health problems.
It's fair that every social and welfare system should be subject to scrutiny and reform, but somehow a newly mandated left of centre government managed to forget to go after inequity and excessive wealth first.
History repeats itself.
Today USA is Germany 1939.
In 53 days Hitler (a convicted felon) established his dictatorship by
. dismantling democratic institutions
. imposing tariffs
. imprisoning political opponents
So he could:
. annex neighboring countries
. enact the 'German Purity Laws'
Denying small sums of money to unwell, vulnerable people, which they receive to help with difficulties, isn't going to reduce a welfare bill by much.
Qualifying for PIP is already too tough on claimants.
Currently, I rate the Independent as only slightly more useful than the Daily Mail. It's pretty abysmal when it comes to reporting factually. To me, it's increasingly biased.
The problem is more to do with
people than anything else. You see people who can afford to pay more tax etc refuse to do so. And people who won't be affected by tax increases believing that they will and complaining about it. We should increase taxes but it's never that easy
People that on PIP had to fight and be humiliated. PIP is not easy to claim. It’s a painful process.
These people have been traumatised just to have help to exist.
And the Labour Party are planning to traumatise them again. Heartbreaking 💔
Also aiui most PIP people are in work. What if their lack of PIP money means they can no longer afford the extra stuff that enables them to get to work??
People have been stressing about this for the past year (vouchers instead of payments etc), these types of ‘news’ organisations have been using headlines like this for months, all to get clicks from stressed out disabled people; vile.
I doubt it needs to pass through parliament. Even if it does Starmer will impose a 3 line whip and all his MPs bar a few with backbones will vote for it.
Not sharing rumours, it's a news article. Considering journalists hob nob with politicians daily, these are a good indication of what is being said behind closed doors. If we are not invited into the conversation, they will not legislate for the electorate, rather what is convenient for government.
There are probably many claiming disability benefits who'd happily work but no one will employ them. Others are employed but their employer is "encouraging"/pressuring them to leave. Employers are the problem, not the (disabled) employees.
Nobody has seen the detail of this. The benefits system has for decades been manipulated to get people off unemployment statistics by pushing people onto sickness benefits. E.g. Young people with addictions can get UC, PIP and housing allowance and written off.
If that’s your belief, don’t you think the changes should be about offering support, training the DWP staff properly and helping people, rather than driving more people further in to poverty.
Imagine paying the bills of the man who owns more property in the world, than nearly anyone else AND cutting disability payments? How about stop paying the king anything and start charging him taxes on all of his property and assets?
My husband has a deteriorating disability. He's not getting better. But with all that talk about cutting benefits his mental health has gone worse again and with it the physical pain has increased. They don't know what they are doing to people. We didn't become disabled on purpose. 🤬
Apparently mental health problems aren't a real sickness to stop you from working. I have autism and ADHD I had a severe anxiety attack with BP of 145/248 I had to go A&E to get it down under supervision. I felt drained, dizzy, lightheaded and nauseous. Bad mental health impacts you physically.
Almost every week I have autistic people coming forward that they had to quit their jobs because of a) bullying b) gaslighting and most of all c) burn outs. We are the second least employed disabled people but we can work. We're not going away! Create an environment of acceptance, not bullying!
I’d like to know where are all these employers coming from? What kind of jobs will be offered? In my long experience of many workplaces there are few where sick and disabled people were welcomed. Tokenism was rife. Labour not living in the real world again.
All the stories that have circulated all week have been based on the Times article, they have shown no compunction about misleading people in the past.
I really want labour to succeed for all of us. I really want this messaging to be wrong and I'm happy to wait to hear it from Reeves. It's a challenging wait tho😕
Should we not wait to actually hear what the government announces ? There seems to be a lot of pre knee jerking going on , this will be very triggering for those affected and causing unnecessary worry .
Unfortunately the the Independent isn’t a serious news paper anymore. Clickbait headlines and conjecture; no better than the nonsense from Reach Media.
The trouble with waiting, is that they then make plans without hearing from the electorate. We then have less ability to sway those plans. Pre lobbying works better than keeping calm and expecting them to consider what is wanted by the electorate, rather than what is convenient to them.
I read the IFS report on why the benefits bill is increasing. Musculoskeletal illness due to rising waiting lists is clear. Rising mental health also but no analysis of why or how to address cause. The most baffling was COVID which was shown still rising steeply in future. No justification given.
The rhetoric about getting disabled people into work is simply not realistic. Where are hundreds of thousands of jobs for disabled people going to come from? Employers are already resisting employing disabled people as we are seen as a liability not an asset.
Just horrible and sad. There is no difference between the Tories and Labour anymore. Having said that I would take either over the state of US politics here with one insane party just out to enrich the richest and fuck everyone else and a party mostly too weak to say no (AOC and Bernie excepted).
I don't want to appear flippant, but it's unlikely to be true. These clickbait headlines have been in circulation for decades, every time disability benefits are under review.
Government's routinely leak their current thinking to the press to see if there will be pushback. If none, they will do what is convenient to them alone. If the electorate don't like it, they will have to consider what is best for both the government and the electorate.
Governments of the years always leak elements of Green Papers remember the Disability Living Allowance to the now PIP 2012 again disabled people lost lots of benefits forcing them into poverty and use foodbanks déjà vu.
Labour, taking the actions an extreme right wing Tory Govt didn't dare to do!
The Labour Party has been overtaken by folk guilty of ruining a GE campaign. They are destroying Labour by shredding every value & policy agreed by members.
What are members doing about it?
@paulnowaktuc.bsky.social
These are policies which even Tory governments have thought too extreme. There is a case for reform - just as there is a case for a super wealth tax, but it’s easier to target the disabled. And the Chancellor appears evangelical when interviewed on these cuts! What’s happened to the Labour Party??
#1 Is it true?
#2 This would be the fault of Brexit and the economy tanking. It would be great if blame could go where people liked, but blame rests solely on the assholes who voted Leave.
People with chronic conditions are not going to magically get better. Most disabilities are life-long. All they are doing is forcing people into poverty.
When forced to move to UC later this year, I will lose 3K annually FOR EVER.
Any new changes may mean losing even more 😡🤬
Great!
Peter stop pretending you give a toss. Australians know you are a right wing fan of the billionaire class. FFS stop with the fake news 😡 Rupert is paying you to pretend you are a journalist !!!!
Of course it's true - Labour have been shouting it through a loudhailer that this is their direction, for 5 years. Wes boasted in the Commons that they're better than the Tories at being Tories.
At what point will someone point out that we now have three versions of the Tory party vying for votes?
I would like to see more focus on housing. Private landlords rent inadequate, disgusting flats to disabled people and their extortionate rents are paid with their housing benefits direct to these corrupt landlords. This system is propped up by successive governments.
I don’t know whether it’s that they’re being vague or just that they have a day when they’re going to unveil them and they want to speak to all their MPs first. I might be horrified when I see what they’re going to do, but I am at least going to wait until they are published before I’m outraged
They didn’t adjust back the woeful tory NI tax which hot lower earners disproportionately. They waffle about growth in AI etc. They’re floundering which is also why Reform surge.
But why not, instead of doing this go after the companies that make billions in profits but rely on state to top up wages? Surely they should be fined 70% of their profits to equalise that?
Seems a simple way to improve wages and wean people off of that UC fallback
Do you listen to James OB? He used to cut people off for saying the NHS has too many managers, but now Starmer has said it it’s apparently the best idea ever.
They seem to be pretty message-savvy when organising televised raids on nail bars and the local car wash to communicate their tough stance on immigration.
But benefit reform/winter fuel allowance roll-outs look like they were given to the work experience guys in comms to deal with.
This is devastating. I fear that too many people (who are simply unable to work & who are already struggling) will decide that a life in deepening poverty - with no route out - won't be worth living. That includes family members who are already coping with painful & exhausting medical conditions
All this uncertainty and press scaremongering is very triggering. The DWP have fkd so many people over for so long, another change will just be too much.
Government's leak things to the press to see how they are going down with the electorate. If there is no push back, they will do what is convenient to them only and don't need to consider how it will impact them and others. Lobbying isn't just for the wealthy.
Unless it’s just a trap for the permanently stupid right wing imbeciles and their media’s.
As usual, they will start protesting and then Starmer will make a U turn bending to their wishes….that is my hope…
I think I'm finally coming to terms with it—this government is awful. I’ve tried the give them time thing, the hold our nerve against the threat from Reform UK… I don’t care anymore. I’m done.
"If true" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
There is currently a lot of downbeat media speculation about what Labour is going to do, and most of it is wrong.
No apologies and corrections are issued by MSM when it proves to be fake news.
How is my son supposed to go out and find work? He is essentially a shut-in. The mix of his anxiety disorder and autism is catastrophic! He has no exam results as his condition prohibited him from taking them,
he has very poor social skills and cannot interact with people! What sort of job could he get?
Who would employ him?
It would only aggravate his condition.
I am beginning to wonder whether Reeves and Starmer have a tick list of the most vulnerable groups in society, whose support they intend to hollow out. There are other ways of raising money, without creating hardship. We all know how, but this Labour government seems too timid to do that.
Kier Starmer, the pathetic populist. A chance to bring back some dignity and decency into politics squandered. And that after 14 years of Tory vindictiveness, self aggrandizement, deliberate poverty creation, corruption and contempt. Tragic and evil.
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Comments
At the other extreme, estates of millionaire landowners will be subject to just half the rate of inheritance tax, with 10 years to pay. A proper wealth tax is needed.
Is their aim just for people to suffer & die??
How is this legal?
Also, entirely unrelated:
paid millions of tax payers cash,Cancer sufferers,MS sufferers,
Mental Health,Amputees,all put thro what they called degrading
exam,Labour will now cut out the middle man,
"A non-dom only pays UK tax on the money they earn in the UK. They do not have to pay tax to the UK government on money made elsewhere in the world (unless they pay that money into a UK bank account)."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32216346
There may be some cuts, such as the freeze on PIP, which is unfortunate, but they are currently caught by their own rules, designed to restore trust, being exploited by a flood of misinformation in advance of statements
Because all the quotes I’ve seen are about the system not working for anyone. Not for the people on benefits, nor for the taxpayers funding it.
The tories turned it into somewhere people got dumped & demonised. Labour want to change that.
It seems very vague and disjointed, quoting big figures to make people angry and I bet there won’t be any mea culpa if they are proven wrong, but people will remain angry at Labour anyway 🙄
New Labour didn’t lose the election because they were arrogant! They lost because they had been in power for 13 years and people were struggling post global financial crisis.
Blame the LDs for years of Tory power, they enabled them!
The Liberal Democrats and the global economy are the reasons for Labour loosing the election?
Yes arrogant as hell.
https://www.scope.org.uk/campaigns/open-letter-to-the-chancellor-the-cost-of-cuts-to-disability-benefits
I’m not sure why you are struggling with this concept?
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/anger-after-reeves-tells-benefit-claimants-labour-is-not-for-you/
Tories are Blue,
Doesn't matter how you vote,
Tories for you.
IFF the actual Government announce, or even propose, half of this stuff, that's the time to hit the streets (rather than the keyboards!).
But while it's just hacks looking for clickbait, DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS.
What people within government have seen is enough to have numerous front benchers threatening to resign but, sure, it will all be fine.
Sure.
They are specifically targeting those unable to work.
https://neweconomics.org/2025/03/government-is-concealing-the-true-scale-of-benefit-cuts-for-ill-and-disabled-people
Most folks just making bad comments, that's the difference.
And if it's as bad as some of these reports I'll be as angry as you.
But if you're adhering to the objective fantasy than anyone other than Putin started it then you've already lost.
Your war is not our problem. Sort out your own mistakes.
There, done.
But of course that won’t happen. The companies need their government handouts and the Good Taxpayers need to see the “freeloaders” tortured.
If not, Starmer needs to pause current policies, read the room and urgently change direction.
👍 Customs Union and Single Market, leading to rejoining the EU
👍 Wealth tax
👍 Stop bailing out failing water companies
👍 Stop being utter dicks
unless they categorically deny it they are considering it - if we dont speak up and oppose it as they consider it they will do it.
You cultists are so predictable.
Today USA is Germany 1939.
In 53 days Hitler (a convicted felon) established his dictatorship by
. dismantling democratic institutions
. imposing tariffs
. imprisoning political opponents
So he could:
. annex neighboring countries
. enact the 'German Purity Laws'
Denying small sums of money to unwell, vulnerable people, which they receive to help with difficulties, isn't going to reduce a welfare bill by much.
Qualifying for PIP is already too tough on claimants.
Lebedev still owns Independent. View not fact?
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/angela-rayner-workers-right-to-switch-off-ditched-3562052
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/12/the-guardian-view-on-labours-welfare-plans-betraying-the-vulnerable
people than anything else. You see people who can afford to pay more tax etc refuse to do so. And people who won't be affected by tax increases believing that they will and complaining about it. We should increase taxes but it's never that easy
But also there cannot genuinely be 40% more people unfit to work since 2020
So how do you suggest we resolve that issue?
They are such cowards.
TAX THE RICH AND THE MULTINATIONALS, NOT THE POOR AND VULNERABLE.
Good.
These people have been traumatised just to have help to exist.
And the Labour Party are planning to traumatise them again. Heartbreaking 💔
unless they categorically deny it they are considering it - if we dont speak up and oppose it as they consider it they will do it.
After announcing it will need to pass through parliament, that's the time to speak up, when facts are in place.
He absolutely could, but that's the time to raise concerns, when you have the facts, not vague rumours.
I fear Labour have adopted the policy.
they are not denying it
unless they categorically deny it they are considering it - if we dont speak up and oppose it as they consider it they will do it.
Lots of conjecture.
I shall wait and see.
what is your point?
#Ferkstarmer
Why can't people wait until the FACTS are published?
They decided one term will do??
Of course it is true. They would have been briefing 24x7 against this if it wasn’t true.
Even the bastard tories weren’t low enough to do this.
We dare not ignore the fiscal rules because of the global borrowing market. Look what happened last time.
And we have to spend a lot, lot more on defense. There are no good outcomes. No easy choices.
Write to your MP today and demand dignity not despair for disabled people
https://thecorbynproject.com/no-cuts/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3qzmfMSyz7NBeLzrissOAyiklsQkWcSEzVgtBY_0pqyq_K4tNAs1zrLxI_aem_ubJcp4RP6dX-1k87r1goHQ
unless they categorically deny it they are considering it - if we dont speak up and oppose it as they consider it they will do it.
they are not denying it
unless they categorically deny it they are considering it - if we dont speak up and oppose it as they consider it they will do it.
Sad thing for the English #LibDems offer nothing and would walk into power if they had a decent leader.
Scotland you #YesYet
#YesScotland It's time to leave the nutters to it
#TaxTheBillionaires
Tax the wealthy instead! 🤷♂️
The Labour Party has been overtaken by folk guilty of ruining a GE campaign. They are destroying Labour by shredding every value & policy agreed by members.
What are members doing about it?
@paulnowaktuc.bsky.social
#2 This would be the fault of Brexit and the economy tanking. It would be great if blame could go where people liked, but blame rests solely on the assholes who voted Leave.
When forced to move to UC later this year, I will lose 3K annually FOR EVER.
Any new changes may mean losing even more 😡🤬
Great!
At what point will someone point out that we now have three versions of the Tory party vying for votes?
Labour is not a party I'm prepared to vote for in future.
Mr Stefanovic you don’t need me to tell you about the word
IF .
But why not, instead of doing this go after the companies that make billions in profits but rely on state to top up wages? Surely they should be fined 70% of their profits to equalise that?
Seems a simple way to improve wages and wean people off of that UC fallback
It looks like they’re going to hit the most vulnerable & hard. Again, if they’re not then *say so*. The uncertainty is cruel in & of itself.
They don't care about disabled people. They just care about their team.
Tribalism at its worse.
This "speculation" is based on their own words, their own actions and their own leak.
I suspect this isn’t kite flying, just the Times provoking outrage and everyone else jumping on the bandwagon, like they’ve been doing for 8 months.
Bit like the 1st Budget. Took months to announce - full of speculation (filled by the right winger’s narrative) 🥴🤦♂️
They seem to be pretty message-savvy when organising televised raids on nail bars and the local car wash to communicate their tough stance on immigration.
But benefit reform/winter fuel allowance roll-outs look like they were given to the work experience guys in comms to deal with.
In the UK the highest percentage of land is owned by wealthy individuals. For more than any country in Europe.
Just tax the land, and the inheritance of the land.
1% owns 50% of the land!
As usual, they will start protesting and then Starmer will make a U turn bending to their wishes….that is my hope…
There is currently a lot of downbeat media speculation about what Labour is going to do, and most of it is wrong.
No apologies and corrections are issued by MSM when it proves to be fake news.
unless they categorically deny it they are considering it - if we dont speak up and oppose it as they consider it they will do it.
Who would employ him?
It would only aggravate his condition.
Bought and paid for.
The corporate funding (bribing) of the Labour front bench always had a price.
This is the price. Preparation for further Americanisation of the U.K. economy.
Some of us have been pointing this out since Starver ousted Corbyn.
You mugs.
https://gofund.me/3e3f5338