Reform UK has published plans to cut £50bn a year from the UK benefits bill, but campaigners warn the proposals would push hundreds of thousands of children into poverty and destitution.
Key facts
- Reform UK wants to cut £50bn a year from the UK welfare bill.
- The plans include drastically reducing disability payments.
- Non-UK citizens would be banned from claiming benefits.
- Compulsory 20 hours a week of unpaid workfare would be introduced for thousands of long-term unemployed people.
- A charity warned the proposals would cause 'horrific levels of destitution'.
Hundreds of thousands of children would be tipped into poverty and destitution under plans unveiled by Reform UK to slash £50bn a year from the UK benefits bill, campaigners have warned, according to the Guardian.
The warnings came after Reform published proposals to drastically reduce disability payments, ban non-UK citizens from claiming benefits and introduce compulsory 20 hours a week of unpaid workfare for thousands of long-term unemployed people.
A charity described the potential impact of the proposals as causing ‘horrific levels of destitution’, the Guardian reported.
The party has framed the measures as a way to cut £50bn a year from the country’s welfare spending. Campaigners, however, argue the scale of the cuts would fall heavily on children and vulnerable groups.
The Guardian report sets out the three central elements of the plan: reduced disability payments, restrictions on benefit claims by non-UK citizens, and a mandatory unpaid work requirement for long-term unemployed people.
No further detail on the timing or mechanism of the proposed changes was provided in the available source material.
Why it matters
Welfare policy directly affects the incomes of millions of households, and changes on the scale proposed could reshape support for children, disabled people and unemployed workers. The debate highlights the tension between reducing government spending and protecting vulnerable groups from poverty.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Reform UK want to cut from the benefits bill?
Reform UK wants to cut £50bn a year from the UK welfare bill, according to the Guardian.
What changes are included in Reform UK's benefits plans?
The plans include drastically reducing disability payments, banning non-UK citizens from claiming benefits, and introducing compulsory 20 hours a week of unpaid workfare for thousands of long-term unemployed people.
What do campaigners say about the plans?
Campaigners warn the proposals would tip hundreds of thousands of children into poverty and destitution, with one charity describing 'horrific levels of destitution'.