Reform UK has been accused of excluding the most vulnerable and penalising non-Britons after preparing to outline £50bn in benefit cuts aimed at disabled people and foreign nationals, the Guardian reports.
Key facts
- Reform UK is preparing to outline £50bn of cuts to benefits.
- The plans include £20bn of cuts to disability benefits overall.
- A further £21bn would come from stopping foreign nationals, including EU citizens with settled status, from claiming almost any benefits.
- Robert Jenrick, Reform's finance spokesperson, is set to detail the plans.
- Jenrick said the UK was guilty of 'suicidal empathy'.
Reform UK has been accused of excluding the most vulnerable from society and punishing non-Britons living in the UK as it prepared to outline £50bn of cuts to benefits for disabled people and foreign nationals, according to the Guardian.
Robert Jenrick, Reform’s finance spokesperson, is set to detail the plans, which include £20bn of cuts to disability benefits overall. The proposals also include another £21bn from stopping foreign nationals from claiming almost any benefits, among other cuts, the Guardian reports.
The measures affecting foreign nationals would extend to EU citizens with settled status, according to the outlet. The combined proposals amount to the headline figure of £50bn in reductions.
The plans come after Jenrick said the UK was guilty of ‘suicidal empathy’, the Guardian reports. Critics have accused Reform UK of excluding the most vulnerable from society and of punishing non-Britons living in the country.
The Guardian’s report focuses on the scale of the proposed cuts and the groups they would affect, with disabled people and foreign nationals named as the primary targets of the reductions.
Why it matters
Proposals to cut £50bn from benefits could significantly affect disabled people and foreign nationals living in the UK, groups that critics describe as among the most vulnerable. The plans signal how Reform UK intends to approach welfare spending, a central issue for millions who rely on state support.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Reform UK plan to cut from benefits?
According to the Guardian, Reform UK is preparing to outline £50bn of cuts, including £20bn from disability benefits and £21bn from stopping foreign nationals claiming almost any benefits.
Who would be affected by the proposed cuts?
The Guardian reports the cuts would target disabled people and foreign nationals, including EU citizens with settled status.
Who is behind the proposals?
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK's finance spokesperson, is set to detail the plans, according to the Guardian.