If the Conservatives win the General Election on July 4, they have promised to reform the benefits system and put an end to soaring welfare bills.
The Tory manifesto states how they plan to save £12 billion per year by the end of the next parliament by ensuring that more working-age people with disabilities or long-term health conditions who are now receiving benefits, notably Personal Independence Payment (PIP), find work.
Conservative Party Unveils PIP Reforms and Mental Health Investment in Welfare Overhaul Plan
The number of working-age persons out of employment has risen substantially since the epidemic, although the Conservative Party has stated that the forty percent rise in economically inactive people from two million to 2.8 million total since the COVID-19 pandemic is "unsustainable".
The party has pledged to reduce that amount, stating that the expense of paying benefits to working-age individuals with health issues could reach up to £90 billion by the end of the next parliament.
Some of the measures the party would take to achieve this involve changing PIP eligibility, assessments, and cash payments; altering the Fit Note; and accelerating the transfer from legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
To ensure that 500,000 more people can attend Talking Therapies for assistance with poor mental health, one of the major investment areas is a £700 million investment in NHS mental health treatment.
Along with strengthening the requirements for Work Capability Assessments, the offer includes a commitment to overhaul the disability payments system and direct it toward people who need it the most. The Conservatives intend to carry out their previously declared intentions to transfer the duty of writing doctor's notes of absence to other experts in the field.
The Conservatives also pledge to crack down on benefit scammers and strengthen benefit sanction regulations.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated: “Reforming welfare is a moral mission. Work is a source of dignity, purpose and hope and I want everyone to be able to overcome whatever barriers they might face to living independent, fulfilling lives.
“That’s why we have announced a significant increase in mental health provision, as well as changes to ensure those who can work, do work.”
The Conservative Party's manifesto Plans for Welfare Reform
PIP
The manifesto includes: “We will improve PIP assessments to provide a more objective consideration of people’s needs and stop the number of claims from rising unsustainably. While people suffering with mental health conditions face significant challenges, it is not clear that they always face the same additional living costs as people with physical disabilities.
“We will look at the best way to provide support, including whether treatment or services could be more appropriate for some people than a monthly cash payment, while also delivering a dramatic expansion in mental health support. At the same time, we will make the assessment process simpler and fairer for those with the most severe conditions.”
Capability for Work
The manifesto includes: “People are now three times more likely to be assessed as not fit for any work and put on the highest tier of sickness benefits than they were a decade ago. We will change the assessments from September 2025 so that those with more moderate mental health issues or mobility problems who could potentially engage with the world of work are given tailored support, instead of being written off on benefits.”
It adds that the OBR predicts that these reforms will lower the number of persons receiving these benefits by 424,000.
Change the Fit Note process
The manifesto says: “We will design a new system which moves the responsibility for issuing fit notes away from our hard-pressed GPs towards specialist work and health professionals, and we will test integrating this with the new WorkWell service to provide tailored support to help people stay in or get back to work.”
Tougher Sanctions
According to the manifesto, in order to "make sure that being on benefits remains a safety net, not a lifestyle choice," they will impose stricter sanctions rules, allowing people who refuse to accept suitable jobs after 12 months on benefits to have their cases closed and their benefits completely removed.
It states: “We will bring forward the new claimant review point for the long-term unemployed from 18 months to 12 months. At the claimant review, Work Coaches will set renewed conditions for claimants. If they fail to accept or comply with those conditions, such as refusing a suitable job or a mandatory work placement, their claim will be closed and their benefits will stop.”
Accelerate Transitions from Legacy Benefits to Universal Credit
The manifesto states: "We will transition all of people who are still receiving outmoded legacy benefits onto Universal Credit, removing disincentives for them to work and ensuring they will always be better off working.Combat Fraud in the Welfare System
Combat Fraud in the Welfare System
According to the manifesto, a new Fraud Bill would be introduced to provide the DWP powers equivalent to those of HMRC, allowing them to tackle benefit fraud in the same manner as they treat tax fraud, with "new powers to identify, investigate, and pursue fraudsters."