Yorkshire MP warns against 'draconian cuts' to welfare system

Reforms to the welfare system are expected ahead of the Spring Statement at the end of this month, as Rachel Reeves will likely look to make a raft of public spending savings given tighter fiscal headroom.

Speaking to the BBC, Ms Maskell, the MP for York Central, said that she has had a “flurry of emails” from people who are “deeply concerned” about the prospect of changes to the system.

“We recognise the economic circumstances that we’re in and the hand that we were given and of course it is right that the Chancellor has oversight over all those budgets but not at the expense of pushing disabled people into poverty.”

She added: “There’s got to be a carrot approach not a stick approach.

“We’ve got to make the right interventions and that doesn’t start with the stick.”

Ms Maskell said that she had “picked up […] deep deep concern” from colleagues and called for a “compassionate system and not taking just draconian cuts”.

Yesterday, 16 major UK charities - including Citizens Advice, Scope and Disability Rights UK - sent a letter to the Chancellor warning that the cuts would have a “catastrophic impact” on disabled people, pushing hundreds of thousands of households into poverty.

They say that cutting disability benefits will not achieve the Government’s target of getting more people into work, and are pressing instead for better support for disabled people to help them find suitable jobs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously said there are 2.8 million people not in work due to ill-health and one in eight young people not in education, training or employment.

The sickness and disability bill for working-age people has risen by £20 billion since the pandemic and is forecast to hit £70 billion over the next five years.

She has said an upcoming Health and Disability Green Paper will set out plans to support those who can work back into jobs, rather than write them off.

But in their letter to the Chancellor, the charities – also including the MS Society, mental health charity Mind, foodbank organisation Trussell and Parkinson’s UK – urged Ms Reeves to “think again about cuts to disability benefits”.

They said: “We agree with the Government’s ambition to support more disabled people into work. However, making cuts to disability benefits will not achieve this goal or fix the system.

“In fact, there is little evidence to suggest cutting benefits increases employment outcomes. We know the benefits system is broken and needs reform.

“That there are disabled people out of work who want to work given the right support. And for some disabled people, work isn’t appropriate. Changes to welfare must start here. Not with cuts.”

They said an analysis of official figures by Scope suggested a further 700,000 disabled households “could be pushed into poverty” without Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

The charities said the Government “has an opportunity to work with disabled people and the sector to bring about meaningful change” and warned that their voices must be heard, adding: “Disabled people should not be an afterthought.”